How to Develop an Effective Advocacy Strategy

How to Develop an Effective Advocacy Strategy

Many NFP leaders know they should be influencing government, yet too often advocacy becomes reactive, driven by crises, or focused on raising problems rather than presenting solutions. In this episode of The NFP CEO, Michelle and Danielle are joined by advocacy strategist Louise Yablsey to unpack what effective advocacy really looks like and how CEOs can build long-term influence with governments, departments and decision-makers. Whether you're a CEO of a service provider, a peak body or a growing for-purpose organisation, this conversation provides practical advice on creating an advocacy strategy that delivers impact. In this episode, you'll learn: 1. Why advocacy is a core responsibility for many not-for-profit CEOs and not an optional extra. 2. The distinction between advocacy and activism. 3. Why the most effective advocacy strategies focus on influencing a small number of key decision-makers. 4. How to move beyond simply highlighting problems and instead present solutions government can act on. 5. Common advocacy mistakes that limit influence and waste valuable resources. 6. How CEOs can build trusted relationships with ministers, MPs, advisers and senior public servants. 7. Why advocacy should be embedded across your organisation's communications, not treated as a standalone activity. 8. Practical ways boards can support advocacy without becoming involved in day-to-day implementation. 9. Meaningful advocacy metrics that go beyond counting meetings and submissions. 10. How to measure influence, build credibility and strengthen your organisation's reputation over time. Listen if you're: 1. A CEO or executive in the not-for-profit or for-purpose sector. 2. A board director wanting to better understand advocacy governance. 3. Leading an organisation through policy reform or funding change. 4. Building relationships with government or departmental leaders. 5. Looking to develop a more strategic and effective advocacy approach. Subscribe to The NFP CEO for practical conversations on leadership, governance, strategy and the real-world challenges facing today's not-for-profit CEOs. Louise Yabsley - Watt Advocacy & Communications [https://www.wattadvocacy.com.au/our-people/louise-yabsley] Connect with us: LinkedIn: The NFP CEO: Overview | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nfp-ceo/?viewAsMember=true] Website: thenfpceo.com.au [https://thenfpceo.com.au/] Michelle Cutler: Michelle Cutler | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-cutler-610a883/] Danielle Ballantine: Danielle Ballantine | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleballantine/]

Board Papers: The 3 Mistakes CEOs Keep Making

Board papers are one of the most important tools a CEO has to support effective governance. Yet they're also one of the most common sources of frustration between CEOs and boards. In this episode of The NFP CEO Podcast, Michelle and Danielle unpack the three biggest complaints directors raise about board papers and share practical strategies CEOs can use to improve board reporting, strengthen board relationships, and drive better governance outcomes. If you've ever heard feedback that your board papers are too long, unclear, too detailed, or not strategic enough, this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE 1. UNCLEAR PURPOSE AND DECISION REQUESTS One of the most common director frustrations is reading an entire board paper and still not knowing: 1. Why they're receiving it 2. Whether a decision is required 3. What action they need to take 4. What feedback is being sought A consistent board paper template can dramatically improve board engagement and decision-making. 2. REPORTING ACTIVITIES INSTEAD OF INSIGHTS Many CEO reports become lengthy lists of meetings, activities, and operational updates. The discussion explores how CEOs can structure reporting around strategic priorities and strategic pillars, helping directors connect operational activity to organisational outcomes and long-term strategy. 3. HIDING RISKS IN THE DETAIL Trust between a CEO and board can quickly erode when directors feel important information is buried in lengthy reports. Rather than avoiding bad news, effective CEOs demonstrate leadership by showing that risks have been identified, assessed, and are actively being managed. TAKEAWAYS FOR CEOS ✔ Make the purpose of every board paper clear from the first page. ✔ Tell directors exactly what you need from them - decision, discussion, feedback, or noting. ✔ Move beyond activity reporting and provide strategic insights. ✔ Structure CEO reports around strategic priorities rather than chronological updates. ✔ Report risks openly and explain how management is responding. ✔ Focus on helping directors govern strategically rather than drawing them into operational detail. ✔ Remember that effective board papers build trust, improve governance, and create better board conversations. Connect with us: LinkedIn: The NFP CEO: Overview | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nfp-ceo/?viewAsMember=true] Website: thenfpceo.com.au [https://thenfpceo.com.au/] Michelle Cutler: Michelle Cutler | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-cutler-610a883/] Danielle Ballantine: Danielle Ballantine | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleballantine/]

Strategic Opportunities - Choosing what matters

The power of no. As a not-for-profit CEO, opportunities come at you from every direction—boards with big ideas, funders with new initiatives, partnership proposals, and emerging community needs. The challenge isn't finding opportunities; it's deciding which ones deserve a yes. In this episode of The NFP CEO, Michelle and Danielle unpack a practical decision-making framework to help leaders assess strategic opportunities with confidence. Rather than relying on instinct, optimism, or pressure from others, they explore how CEOs can evaluate opportunities through multiple lenses to determine whether they truly advance the organisation's purpose and strategy. Sometimes the most strategic leadership decision is saying no. In This Episode 1. Why CEOs and boards often default to saying "yes" 2. The hidden costs of pursuing every opportunity 3. The difference between asking "Can we do this?" and "Should we do this?" 4. How to create a structured framework for strategic decision-making 5. Why saying yes to one thing always means saying no to something else 6. The role of strategic fit, culture, capability, and stakeholder impact 7. When collaboration may be a better option than ownership 8. Why pilots can be a powerful way to test opportunities safely 9. How to distinguish between opportunities that propel the organisation forward and those that become anchors Access to the NO-FRAME matrix: NFP CEO Resources: Empowering Nonprofit Leaders [https://thenfpceo.com.au/the-nfp-ceo-resources] Connect with us: LinkedIn: The NFP CEO: Overview | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nfp-ceo/?viewAsMember=true] Website: thenfpceo.com.au [https://thenfpceo.com.au/] Michelle Cutler: Michelle Cutler | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-cutler-610a883/] Danielle Ballantine: Danielle Ballantine | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleballantine/]

Are Your People Running On Empty?

Are your people disengaged or simply overwhelmed? In this episode of The NFP CEO, Michelle and Danielle explore why employee engagement, workplace resilience and staff retention are increasingly challenging in the not-for-profit sector. Drawing on research about the "quiet erosion of hope at work", they discuss how funding pressures, increasing demand, compliance requirements and resource constraints impact workplace culture. The conversation examines the critical role of middle managers in shaping employee experience, why engagement is often a team-level issue rather than an organisation-wide problem, and what CEOs can do to build resilient, high-performing teams. In this episode: 1. Employee engagement and workplace culture in not-for-profits 2. The link between leadership, resilience and staff retention 3. People leave managers, not organisations 4. Supporting middle managers to lead effectively 5. Managing workload, burnout and capacity constraints 6. Creating psychological safety and feedback cultures 7. Communicating priorities during organisational change 8. Building stronger teams through recognition and connection Purpose attracts great people to the for-purpose sector, but purpose alone isn't enough. CEOs who invest in leadership capability, clear communication and manager support create workplaces where people can thrive, even in challenging environments. Article referenced in episode: The Quiet Erosion of Hope at Work | Everything DiSC [https://www.everythingdisc.com/blogs/the-quiet-erosion-of-hope-at-work/?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=edfb_newsletter_may2026&utm_content=the-quiet-erosion-of-hope-at-work&utm_term=blog_button_may2026&j=258749&sfmc_sub=136617400&l=52494_HTML&u=41924265&mid=514026533&jb=266] Connect with us: LinkedIn: The NFP CEO: Overview | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nfp-ceo/?viewAsMember=true] Website: thenfpceo.com.au [https://thenfpceo.com.au/] Michelle Cutler: Michelle Cutler | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-cutler-610a883/] Danielle Ballantine: Danielle Ballantine | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleballantine/]

What is Psychological Safety with Fay Calderone

Psychological safety is everywhere right now, but what does it actually mean for CEOs and leaders in the for-purpose sector? In this episode, Michelle speaks with workplace law expert, author, and advisor Fay Calderone about why psychological safety has become a critical leadership, governance, and legal responsibility. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in workplace law, compliance, and culture, Fay unpacks the practical realities of creating workplaces built on trust rather than fear. Together, they explore what psychological safety looks like in high-pressure environments, why wellness programs alone won't solve the problem, and what leaders can do when workload, change, uncertainty, and vicarious trauma are part of everyday work. IN THIS EPISODE: 1. What psychological safety actually means in practice 2. The difference between workplaces driven by fear and those built on trust 3. Why workload, change, role clarity, and communication matter more than ever 4. How CEOs can create safer cultures without adding another overwhelming initiative 5. The growing governance and compliance obligations around psychosocial risk 6. Lessons from real workplace cases that every NFP leader should understand 7. Why boards need to be part of the conversation too If you're leading through uncertainty, managing workforce pressures, or trying to build a stronger culture, this episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately. Guest: Fay Calderone [https://faycalderone.com/], author of Broken to Safe and workplace law specialist helping organisations build respectful, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplaces. Connect with us: LinkedIn: The NFP CEO: Overview | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nfp-ceo/?viewAsMember=true] Website: thenfpceo.com.au [https://thenfpceo.com.au/] Michelle Cutler: Michelle Cutler | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-cutler-610a883/] Danielle Ballantine: Danielle Ballantine | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielleballantine/]