NGO Soul + Strategy

Summary Is it that people resist change? That they fear change? Or rather that people fear loss? As a change management consultant, what is the most difficult or frustrating while supporting clients with change management efforts? What is one word most alive right now in the world of change management support? In this NGO Soul+Strategy [https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/] podcast episode, I interview Michael Randel [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrandel/], Founder of Randel Consulting Associates [https://rcachangeadvisors.com/], on mastering the ever-complex world of organizational change management. Michael's Bio * Owner of Randel Consulting Associates, a boutique consulting firm that supports change processes across sectors * Former Change Consultant in the World Bank's Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness department * Worked for a Danish development agency in South-East Asia * Started as an  Organizational Development practitioner in South Africa, at the YMCA during the anti-apartheid struggle.   We discuss  * Michael worked as a young professional in the South African YMCA youth organization during South Africa’s apartheid struggles, which was a formative experience for him. It launched his career in change management * He consults on change management across the private, public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. His clients all have in common: a social purpose. * Early in his career, he discovered that we overestimate rationality in change management; instead, emotion is a significant factor. We also are simply unable to foresee all factors that will be at play in our change-planning efforts * Michael uses a Gestalt approach in his work: in this approach, the forces that energize change are faced with forces that resist change – and Lewin’s forcefield analysis tends to apply. Put simply: people tolerate the current state of affairs till it is no longer tolerable.  * The Gestalt approach stipulates that we may need to intervene at the individual, team, unit organization, or sector level (or a combination) * Michael appreciates Rick Maurer’s framework on resisting change, which emphasizes 3 factors, embodied in ‘I don’t get it’; ‘I don’t like it’; and ‘I don’t like you’. Each requires its response – and the three should not be confused.   Quotes: Eisenhower’s quote (paraphrased here) is relevant in change management: “Plans are useless, but the process of planning is useful”   Resources: Michael’s LinkedIn Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrandel/] Randel Consulting Associates Website [https://rcachangeadvisors.com/] Blog post: Resistance to change is often misunderstood [https://www.pmanonprofit.com/news/264-navigating-nonprofit-change-5-critical-mistakes-to-avoid-michael-randel]   YouTube video [https://youtu.be/2RhnCac9CBM] of this podcast Click here [https://5oaksconsulting.org/email/] to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces. Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org [tosca@5oaksconsulting.org] if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities. You can find Tosca’s content by following her on her social media channels:  Twitter [https://twitter.com/Tosca5Oaks] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/toscabrunovanvijfeijken/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Tosca5Oaks/]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CL86dgWD3zDFc

Summary What does it Busara's tagline mean: 'transformational leadership, from the inside out'? To what extent are there truly different global south-normed leadership models? Does personality still play an important role as well, in addition to national or regional cultural differences in leadership approaches? In this NGO Soul+Strategy [https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/] podcast episode, I interview Taaka Awori [https://www.linkedin.com/in/taaka-awori-9b22187/], Founder & CEO of Busara Africa [https://busara-africa.com/taakas-bio/], a leadership development services company, on redefining leadership in Africa.   Taaka's Bio: * Founder and CEO of Busara Africa, a pan-African leadership development firm based in Accra, Ghana * Author of the book Leadership Redefined: Untold Stories * Associate Certified Coach with International Coaching Federation (ICF) * Podcast host of Leadership Redefined: Untold Stories * Member of the editorial board of Coaching Perspectives * Chair of the board of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) * Former Country Director of AAI * Assistant Social Development Adviser, DFID (now called FCDO) * Degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities   We discuss:  * Taaka started specializing in leadership development and organizational development, after discovering as a Country Director at ActionAid that what was most needed from her was good leadership – not any technical specialization * Busara’s tagline is - transformational leadership from the inside out – signals that leadership starts with self-awareness and self-regulation * Equally, good leadership is a combination of not just intellect or analytical capabilities, but also innate and learned wisdom, and the heart * Other premises of Busara: let’s build on the examples of excellent leadership in Africa (not the negative examples); and feminist leadership * 70% of Busara’s clients are NGOs; the rest are private sector and government agencies * How are African leadership models distinct, if in any way, from global North-formed models?  * Another distinct element is the explicit inclusion of politization and thus the need for leaders to be aware of this, and to navigate it in a mission focused manner  * Busara is also interested to learn more about what’s to be learned from leaders of informal, non-registered organizations: informal worker associations, social movements and networks * Interesting sub-continental dimensions of leadership within the African continent   Resources: Taaka’s LinkedIn Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/taaka-awori-9b22187/] Taaka’s Website [https://www.taakaawori.com/] Taaka’s book: Leadership Redefined: Untold Stories [https://www.amazon.com/LEADERSHIP-AFRICA-REDEFINED-Untold-Stories-ebook/dp/B0B46V45MT/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1655886408&sr=1-1] Leadership in Africa Redefined Podcast [https://busara-africa.com/season-1-podcast/] Busara Africa Website [https://busara-africa.com/]     YouTube video [https://youtu.be/UKWWfBnBxRA]  Click here [https://5oaksconsulting.org/email/] to subscribe or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org [tosca@5oaksconsulting.org] Twitter [https://twitter.com/Tosca5Oaks] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/toscabrunovanvijfeijken/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Tosca5Oaks/]Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CL86dgWD3zDFcgvvBF8Hg]

Summary How should INGOs discern what roles are still relevant, legitimate, and needed, at this moment in civil society history?­­  And which roles they therefore  should *stop* playing? Is there more here, over and beyond stopping service delivery? (Which on its own is quite the shift) In this NGO Soul+Strategy [https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/] podcast episode, I interview Dylan Mathews [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanmathews1/], Chief Executive Officer at Peace Direct [https://www.peacedirect.org/]. Peace Direct has been quite vocal, and has acted as a thought leader on this role question -- which I consider fundamental, and which I don't see INGOs facing head-on sufficiently yet.   Dylan's Bio: * Chief Executive Officer of Peace Direct  * Director of International Programs at Y Care International * Program Manager at CARE * Worked on conflict countries and issues with Landmine Action, Oxford Research Group, and the British Red Cross   We discuss:  * While the sector is changing, once again, on several fronts (in terms of programming approaches, shifting authority/decision rights to the place of program impact representation, biz models, operating models etc.), what seems to get less attention is whether the organization should go through a fundamental role shift * Common sense would say role and function, as well as strategy, should come before the other types of changes mentioned above * One organization that is advocating that NGOs need to tackle the fundamental question of role shift is PeaceDirect, with Dylan Mathews as its leader.  * So what roles are still appropriate, especially for global North-founded INGOs? * Dylan explains the nine roles that Peace Direct thinks are still appropriate for INGOs  * What are, importantly, the implications of a change in role and function for, for instance, board competencies and mindsets, organizational size, staff competency profiles, and culture? * Dylan shares what gives him hope as INGOs traverse this journey, but also what makes him skeptical that the role shifts Peace Direct points to will actually take hold among INGOs,   Resources: Peace Direct Website [https://www.peacedirect.org/] Dylan’s LinkedIn Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanmathews1/] Peace Direct reading resources: Link1 [https://www.peacedirect.org/the-nine-roles-that-intermediaries-can-play-in-international-cooperation/], Link2 [https://www.peacedirect.org/transforming-partnerships/], Link3 [https://www.peacedirect.org/too-southern-to-be-funded/]    YouTube video [https://youtu.be/fq61Gv8rLC4] of this podcast Click here [https://5oaksconsulting.org/email/] to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces. Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org [tosca@5oaksconsulting.org] if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities. You can find Tosca’s content by following her on her social media channels:  Twitter [https://twitter.com/Tosca5Oaks] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/toscabrunovanvijfeijken/]Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Tosca5Oaks/]Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5CL86dgWD3zDFcgvvBF8Hg]

Summary Conflict management and mediation are skills that come up frequently as a weak area in many of our social sector organizations. And these days, more than ever conflict is on the rise within our organizations. So how can we work through our conflicts more skillfully and effectively? Nathalie has answers for us. She's a trainer conflict mediator (as well as a Corentus, Inc. [https://www.linkedin.com/company/corentus/] team coach) who helps teams and organizations develop better conflict management capabilities.  And she's a valued colleague in a broader team I am a part of. Which means I get to learn from her! In this NGO Soul+Strategy [https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/] podcast episode, I interview Nathalie Thompson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathaliethompson/], Owner of 5 Fold Consulting [http://www.5foldconsulting.com/], on conflict mediation.   Erica's Bio: * Owner of ‘5 Fold Consulting’, a consulting and coaching firm focused on conflict management skill building and mediation * Core Practitioner and Faculty at the Corentus team coaching company * In short: mediator, facilitator, and coach   We discuss:  * It is often useful to work on task-related conflicts as a precursor to working on relationship-based conflicts. * There are cross-national cultural differences in how humans deal with conflict. As a mediator, it is important to first build relationship, to inquire what makes for a good conversation for the person, and how to structure the conflict mediation process * There are also gendered dimensions to conflict expression and management. Society tends to ascribe the term ‘aggressive’ to women (negative framing), for instance, when they engage in conflict, while men tend to be labeled as ‘assertive’ in the same context (positive or neutral framing) * One way of minimizing interpersonal conflicts within organizations is to clarify expectations, styles, and preferences. Similarly, to clarify goals and parameters, and how to do the work.  * Also, to agree to tackle breakdowns in relationships by agreeing upfront how difficulties will be raised, and to work through the Corentus ‘6 question framework’ for dealing with breakdowns. * Nathalie is among others an ombuds. This is an originally Swedish term that literally means: ‘representative of the people’, and is an independent, neutral person to whom staff in an organization can go for confidential advice, feedback on policy, procedure, or when they seek accommodation. Ombuds are independent from HR and can offer mediation, and raise sensitive issues such as harassment and performance issues with those in authority. * The apparent rise in intra-organizational strife in civil society organisations is an extension of the external polarization in society: a tendency to think in terms of ‘one true way’ instead of accepting there are many different ways   Quotes: “In the nonprofit sphere, people tend to be expected to be ‘so nice’; this makes it harder to exert accountability, and to say what needs to be said”   Resources: Nathalie’s LinkedIn Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathaliethompson/] Nathalie’s Email [nathalie@5foldconsulting.com] 5 Fold Consulting Website [http://www.5foldconsulting.com/]     YouTube video [https://youtu.be/djWzccz_baM] of this podcast Click here [https://5oaksconsulting.org/email/] to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.

Summary What constitutes a culture of philanthropy within nonprofits and NGOs? It's a term easily bandied around, but how do I see when it's in place? How has the field of direct giving by small donors, and monthly giving as one donor practice in particular changed in the last 10-20 years? Are there hurdles to be overcome in persuading donors to adopt monthly giving?  Finally, there is a lot of discussion about the need for a shift towards ethical storytelling, with local program participants in the driver's seat, and while focusing on the local person's agency. The raison d'etre for this is clear; however, is this aligned with what motivates donors (at least in traditional fundraising 'markets') to give?   In this NGO Soul+Strategy [https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/] podcast episode, I interview Erica Waasdorp [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-waasdorp-544b74/], President of A Direct Solution [https://adirectsolution.com/], a consulting agency with expertise in direct giving and monthly giving, on trends in direct fundraising. Erica's Bio: * Author and Speaker, and a Master Trainer affiliated with the Association for Fundraising Professionals * Expertise in Direct Marketing, Monthly Giving, International Fundraising * US Ambassador for the International Fundraising Congress (IFC) * Before launching A Direct Solution, she held several consulting, coaching and direct marketing roles in various consulting agencies, nonprofits, and in the publishing industry.   We discuss - particularly with regard to the US donor arena:  * Online donations have blossomed since 2011, to the point where people now have access to many online payment platforms, donation-by-text, etc. * Religious people are more generous than non-religious people; and so are low to mid-income people (in relative terms, as a proportion of their income), as compared to wealthy people * Monthly giving is an important strategy to underpin financial sustainability since it guarantees nonprofits potentially significant levels of dependable unrestricted revenue; this in turn allows the agency to do long-term planning. * In the short term, when setting up monthly giving as one avenue, it is more capacity and resource-intensive for an agency * Monthly giving as one donation strategy has been around for decades, but many nonprofits have only started focusing on it in a serious way in the last 10 or so years * There is some tension between the NGO sector’s aspired direction of ethical, authentic storytelling – what Erica calls ‘the complete story’ --, that starts from a program participant’s strengths and assets and the opportunities they have rather than from a deficit perspective, and the need of donors to feel that they contribute to a clear need. This tension is not yet fully acknowledged. * Intermediary nonprofit ranking and rating sites (e.g. Guidestar, Charity Navigator, Give Well, etc in a US context) fulfill a donor’s felt need for transparency and the ability to trust an agency, but such data is unlikely to shape  donation behavior of new donors in a major way.  * Child sponsorships are likely to continue as a vehicle for fundraising, but at a lower level than before. Many nonprofits’ donor pools are aging (a lot), and this will remain the case till current day Millenials and subsequent generations age themselves.   Resources: Erica’s LinkedIn Profile [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-waasdorp-544b74/] A Direct Solution consulting agency [https://5oaksconsulting.org/blog/], founded by Erica (the site provides lots of free resources on direct fundraising)   YouTube vid [https://youtu.be/YA9D-JhMZU4]