If you want to make a greater impact on your team and work while avoiding overwhelm and overwork, check out this FAN FAVORITE episode from the new podcast "The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader"!

You can find it wherever you're listening to this episode!  Just search for "The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader" and make sure to SUBSCRIBE for the latest updates!

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Ever feel like you're drowning in your workload and still not making the impact you want?

In this episode, we tackle a critical issue facing humanitarian and development leaders today: burnout. Discover why traditional ways of working are causing you more harm than good and how you can break free from this cycle.

In this 11 minute episode you'll learn:

1. The real reasons behind burnout that you might not be aware of and how to address them.
2. Gain insights on how to become a modern leader who maximizes impact while reducing stress and overwhelm.
3. Learn how to acquire practical skills to empower your team, enhancing productivity and fostering a high-performing, inclusive work environment.

Don't let overwork and overwhelm hold you back—listen to this episode now and start your journey towards more effective and sustainable leadership!

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Are you a humanitarian or international development leader who wants to make a greater impact, but without the overwhelm and burnout? If you want to create a high performance team that meets the changing demands of the humanitarian and development sector without sacrificing your well being, check out "The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader" podcast.

In less time than it takes you to drink your powdered milk Nescafe, you will learn how to empower a diverse team to perform their best despite cultural and personality differences, what's keeping you from greater productivity and how to overcome it and how to meet the leadership needs of the modern humanitarian and development sector while making a greater impact and avoiding burnout.

I'm your host, Torrey Peace, and after 12 years working in humanitarian and development, As well as coaching hundreds of leaders across the UN, INGOs, and civil society globally, I have observed first hand the overwork and overwhelm that is so common and leads to burnout. The good news is that I've also discovered how you can lead differently in order to step out of overwhelm and start making a bigger impact than you thought possible.

And I want to share it with you. Join me every Monday to learn practical insights and tips to help you become a modern humanitarian and development leader. And on Wednesdays for inspirational quotes to get you through the week. Check out "The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader " podcast on any platform you listen to your podcasts.

I recommend you start with episode one, "Say No to Burnout in the Humanitarian and Development Sector: how to do less and make a bigger impact". See you there!

Have you ever found yourself lost in the wilderness, not sure where to go or how to get there, surrounded by the unknown and potential danger?

Just like navigating unfamiliar territory, defining and achieving impactful goals in humanitarian and development work can feel like wandering without direction.

Without a clear vision, leaders risk inefficiency, aimlessness, and missed opportunities for positive change.

Discovering the roadmap to impactful leadership is crucial in today's complex world, where every decision can make a difference in the lives of many.

In this episode, you will learn:

1. Insight into the importance of defining personal impact goals as leaders in humanitarian and development work.
2. Strategies for identifying strengths, values, and areas of excitement to fuel impactful leadership.
3. Techniques for setting clear and measurable goals to track progress and ensure meaningful outcomes.

 Ready to chart your course towards impactful leadership?

Tune in now to learn how defining your vision can be the first step in navigating the wilderness of humanitarian and development work.

Some of you have asked for a peek behind my coaching course - how is it run?  How do we ensure students complete the course successfully?

In response I interviewed Maureen Murigi, my Admin Support Manager for the course.  Maureen shares what the course looks like from her perspective - and the challenges she faces while making sure students have what they need to finish successfully.

If you'd like to enroll in the coaching course, doors are open until Wednesday, July 6th!  You can visit the link here for more information and to register.

Many of you have asked whether or not you should take my digital coaching course, which teaches a "coaching leadership style."

What I tell aid workers is that this way of leading is the future for the aid world, or at least the future we envision - a more inclusive, localized approach.  

But you don't have to take my word for it.  Today's guest Leah Marie Lucas is one of my former students and she shares how her leadership style changed after learning this different approach.

I challenge you to listen to this episode and answer this question: "how might a coaching leadership style help achieve my vision of the leader I wish to become and how I can help change aid for the better?"

Resources Mentioned:

• Humanitarian Women's Network
• Digital Coaching Course - open enrollment until July 6th 2022

Recently I had a group of 38 students from CRS Uganda take my coaching course.

I asked a panel of four (Olive D'Mello, Florence Ayo, Dismus Arineitwe and Emmanuel Obuko) to answer some questions about what changed for them since taking the course.  You'd be surprised!

Here are a few things they mention:

• Using coaching as a way to learn with their team (reflection)
• Creating an empowering culture where people come to them with solutions not just questions
• Using coaching as a leadership style and not just during performance planning
• As a way to have government and local partners take full ownership over activities and projects

I hope this inspires you with all the ways you can use coaching with your team, colleagues and family!

If you'd like to learn how your leadership style is impacting your team and their performance, sign up now for my free one hour master class here!

Today's guest has really done it. He has taken what he learned about coaching and created a culture within his organization that has resulted in a more proactive team.  And that means Salif has time to focus on the important, including growing his organization.

In short, Salif Kanoute, President of DECLIC NGO in Senegal, has gotten out of his own way.

This is not easy as a leader - we often think our teams need us too much for us to step back.

But Salif is a great example of what can happen when a leader trusts their team to come up with their own solutions... and the wonderful things that can result.

Listen to find out more!

FREE Masterclass:
"Is Your Leadership Style EMPOWERING your team or SLOWING them down?"

One of the greatest things we can do as leaders is become aware of how we impact others.  In my upcoming free Masterclass, you'll find out exactly that ---what is your default leadership style, how you may unknowingly prevent them from doing their best and how to change to help your team increase their performance.  Register now by going to this link!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• How a Local NGO is Changing Leadership in Senegal, with Salif Kanoute, DECLIC President
• DECLIC on Facebook

We've arrived at episode 200 - I can't believe it!  For this special occasion I have asked a special guest to come on the podcast.. my husband Shannon. Shannon has over 20 years' experience working for INGO's and the UN in numerous countries from Haiti to Afghanistan. He's had a lot of experience in the field, and unfortunately also a lot of experience under toxic leadership.  In this episode we discuss why toxic leaders exist in the humanitarian world, what we can do in a toxic situation and also what organizations should start doing to promote change.  

It is simply amazing that a field in which we care for others there still exist leaders who harm more than help... whether they are aware of it or not.

Resources mentioned:

- MSF Mentoring and Coaching Hub
- How to Maintain Your Health, Survive Long Distance Relationships and Our Most Significant Habits in 2018
- Stress management tips for aid workers
- Why are there so many Bad Bosses? Freakonomic Podcast
- Peter Principle

Are you feeling demotivated with development or humanitarian work?

It can show up in different ways.

Maybe you're feeling more tired than usual.

Or you just don't feel like checking your email.  

Or getting to that task---whatever it is.

Today I am going to walk you through four simple steps to overcome feelings of demotivation so you can start becoming your more energized self.

They are steps I have taken as a Country Manager and follow even now---and whether you're feeling demotivated right now or not, they are good to know so you can take action when needed.

I was honored to do a Time Management Master Training at the WILD Forum last week.  After the training, I found myself looking through the participants' comments for feedback.  And I quickly stopped myself. While receiving feedback is wonderful, we need to be careful when we find ourselves craving it.  In my case, I was craving the feedback to confirm that "this presentation is amazing" - or really "I am amazing."  Although I found the feedback to validate people felt it was good, I also found myself wanting more.

This is the danger of feedback or external validation - if we find ourselves asking for it for the wrong reasons, it can actually be more harmful than helpful.  Why?  Because we are never satisfied when we are looking for other people's beliefs to make us believe more in ourselves.  It just doesn't happen that way.

So what kind of validation are you seeking, and is it helping or hurting you?  You may not even be aware you're doing it.

Find out how to become aware and when to stop yourself in this week's episode.

Resources mentioned:

- WILD Forum 2022

- The Success Factor: What Do High Achievers Have in Common?  by Dr Ruth Gotian

Wouldn't it be great if we knew exactly what a community wanted without talking to them?

If we knew what the community wanted, we could skip all the design meetings, all the planning and just get started with implementation.

It would be great.  But it's not reality.

Although we may want to rush, when we fix things quickly now we can make them harder in the long run.

The same goes for supervising our teams.

We may think we are fixing things when we quickly tell our teams what to do, but the reality is we may be making things worse.

Learn the alternative to the Quick Fix which is better for you and your team in this episode.

Sometimes creating a more diverse and inclusive environment in the aid sector seems like a huge task that's going to take time.  And there is some truth in that. That said, there are things we as humanitarian leaders can start doing immediately with our existing teams to create more diversity.  Things that we may not normally consider.

My guest today Saraounia Mboka-Boyer has 13 years' experience in international development and lived in Africa 16 years.  She calls herself an "Inclusion Engineer" and in this episode shares how diversity is often used narrowly, and how we as leaders can use the diversity already in our teams to create better performance and innovation.

To learn more about Saraounia and her work:

Saraounia Mboka-Boyer Linkedin
Scrum Inc
Ubuntu Inc Business website
Email:  saraounia@scruminc.com 

How often do you tell yourself or hear your team say "I Don't Know"?

"I don't know how to do a donor presentation."

"I don't know how to write a strategic plan."

"I don't know how to manage my time."

It sounds like a reasonable thing.

To not know how.

But often times, we use it as an excuse.

An excuse to not take action.

And so we are stuck and stay the same.

And nothing happens.

It's important to know when we are using the "I Don't Know" excuse, and how we can overcome it.

So you can move forward and achieve the impact you're seeking.

And become the leader you admire.

Find out more in this episode.

Are you constantly overwhelmed with a never-ending stream of interruptions at work?

Whether you're a humanitarian and develoment leader in the field or managing a team remotely, the pressure to always be available might be hurting your productivity more than you realize.

In today's fast-paced work environment, the expectation of constant availability can lead to burnout and decreased effectiveness. This episode dives deep into the myth of the "open door policy" and explores how prioritizing uninterrupted, focused work time is crucial for both individual productivity and team development. Learn how rethinking your approach to availability can lead to better outcomes and a healthier work-life balance.

Here's what you'll learn:

1. Discover the damaging effects of High Performance Syndrome and the myth of always being available.
2. Learn practical strategies for setting boundaries and reclaiming focused work time without sacrificing your role as a supportive leader.
3. Understand how fostering independence within your team can lead to greater productivity and proactive problem-solving, ultimately driving more impactful results in your humanitarian and development work.

Ready to break free from the cycle of busyness and reclaim your productivity? Tune in to this episode of the Aid for Aid Workers podcast to uncover practical strategies for balancing availability with focused work time. Don't miss out – your effectiveness as a leader depends on it!

Handling conflict as a humanitarian leader can be scary.

How do we best address conflict so that it is a win-win for us and the other person(s) involved?

My guest today, Jo Rodrigues, has 16 years' experience working with the UN, INGO's and various other organizations on how to overcome conflict in a way that everyone feels understood and valued.

You may be surprised by some of the steps to resolve conflict Jo shares, which we sometimes ignore or skip - resulting in creating more conflict than we resolve!  

In this episode Jo shares steps on how you can handle conflict to create trust and build unity.

Resources mentioned:

• Jo Rodrigues Contact Information and website
• Reflection Questions
• Six Active Listening Steps

Once again deep work is focused, uninterrupted, undistracted work on a task that pushes your cognitive abilities to their limit.

Examples of this include——writing or reviewing a donor report, proposal writing, strategic planning, or creating a new way of doing something.

So that’s all well and good, but how do we actually CREATE time for focused work??

What I see happen to my coachees is they have the focused work on their calendar but then they struggle with protecting that time and following through with their plan.

In this episode, Chen Kadungure and I will share ways you can overcome these challenges which if you follow you will be able to create and protect time for more focused, important work.

“If you don't produce, you won't thrive—no matter how skilled or talented you are.”  Cal Newport, author of “Deep Work”

Noisy generators.  Crowing roosters.  Loud music.

Working in the aid world can be very distracting!

Not to mention all the email, texts and other notifications.

Sometimes it's hard to create an environment for focus.

So you can do the IMPORTANT work.... concentrated work.

The work that will make the most impact.

But sometimes given all the challenges, creating a way to focus seems almost impossible!

In this episode Chen Kadungure and myself discuss how you can create more focus in your work week--- whether you're working from home, or in an open plan office.  

Resources mentioned:

• Deep Work by Cal Newport
• Lowfi Beats
• Dehydration and Lack of Focus
• Mark Huberman podcast on focus
• Ragdoll stretching pose

Today is a bit different from our typical episode.  

After publishing "The Power of Silence",which discusses how we can use silence for more meaningful communication, I received a question from a longtime listener.

She asked "how do we use silence (or should we) during a difficult conversation?"

This is a great question, and so I decided to do a follow up episode to answer it!

How DO we use silence in a powerful conversation ---when should we and when is it not appropriate?

Listen to find out.

And if you have a question you'd like to ask, feel free to email me Torrey@aidforaidworkers.com and ask!

A special thank you to Caroline Khalai Lunani for your question today!

Whether it's managing a new team, a new project or just wanting to become a better leader, being intentional about how we transition can make a big difference in how we show up.

In this episode my guest and fellow coach Asel Ormonova provides ways you can make smoother and better transitions, even as a humanitarian leader.

Resources and links:

Asel's website and blog

Complaint Free Life podcast

We all know the nightmares. 

You go through a hiring process -- and think you've found the perfect candidate.

They have tons of great experience.  And they have a great network.

You can't wait for them to start working on your team!

Until... their true character is shown.  Perhaps they are late to work repeatedly.  Or maybe they don't trust anyone on the team.  Or maybe they cause a lot of conflicts.

Whatever the case, it can be said there's a lot of value in hiring people based on BEHAVIOR and not just experience.  

In this episode Chenai Kadungure and I discuss some ways you can go beyond the traditional hiring process and ensure you find someone who will be a great fit for your team and organizational culture.

Have you heard of the TV show Undercover Boss?

It's where a senior manager for a large company disguises themselves and then works alongside their staff on the ground.

What usually happens is they find out all the things going right, but also those going wrong.

And what's interesting is the people on the ground know what's going wrong and know how to solve it - but don't have the power to change it.

It makes me wonder how these senior managers could empower their teams more so they are able to resolve problems in the best way they see fit.

After all - they are closest to the problem and understand it best!

But what about in our work as humanitarian leaders?

How can we do better at empowering our teams to solve problems and come up with innovative ways to do things?

Find out in this episode.

"Man can be destroyed but not defeated." - Hemingway

Mehmet Gunes has not had it easy.

After the conflict broke out in Syria, he lost everything.

And so he had to look for a new livelihood in a new country.

Fortunately he had his poetry to help him persevere.

After facing failure after failure, he found his calling:  mixing music with learning.

In this episode he shares his journey and how music and poetry can help unite us across cultures and bring hope for the future.

For resources mentioned please visit here.

Whether it's due to a pandemic, working in a field office or across continents, remote work is a reality as a humanitarian leader.

But with working remotely comes a sense of distance - not just phsyically but mentally too.

So how do we close the gap and unite our teams given the challenges of remote work?

In this episode Chenai Kadungure and myself provide some ways you can unite your team despite the technical and distance challenges that come with working at a distance.

There are plenty of reasons to not put a lot of effort into our appearance. 

Working behind a computer or a mask may make us think that "it doesn't matter" how we look.

But the thing is - it's not just about how you appear to others. It's also how you appear to yourself that matters.

In today's episode Chenai Kadungure and myself discuss aid worker fashion statements and how we look impacts not only how we lead but the ability to get where we want to go professionally.

And if you'd like to receive the coaching question for this episode by email. make sure you sign up for my weekly email list!

Will you achieve your goals within a year?

Many of us "hope" we will.

But hoping alone will not get you to that promotion or to achieve that certification.

There are two things that you need to do in order to successfully achieve your goals.

And it comes down to how you use your time.

Find out more in this episode.

NEW!!!!  Episodes are now accompanied by full transcript!!! 

Please find full transcript below, or you can visit the link here and when you push "play" the corresponding text will be highlighted.

Hurricane damage.  Flooding.  Civil conflict. 

Whatever the disaster, as humanitarian leaders it is essential we know how to quickly adapt and do the best we can.

And that means being productive while also maintaining our sanity.

My guest today Jenelle Eli is an expert in adapting to extreme environments.  This in part is because her success in her role as the Senior Director of Media Relations and International Communications for the American Red Cross depends on it.

In this episode, Jenelle and I explore her recent work on a boat rescuing refugees, her tactics for coping in high stress environments, and how she is able to get people who have experienced traumatic situations to share their stories with the world.

For photos and links to Jenelle's stories, visit the website here.

Do you ever feel like you're not qualified for the position you're in?

If so you're not alone.

Especially for women, it is common to feel what is called "imposter syndrome" or that you don't really belong in your current role.

So how can you overcome it?

The key is awareness and knowing how to recognize it.  

In today's episode Chenai Kadungure and myself discuss what imposter syndrome is, why women sometimes feel it more than men and steps you can take to overcome it.

And if you'd like to receive the coaching question for this episode by email. make sure you sign up for my weekly email list!

If you listen to this podcast you already know how important leadership is in the humanitarian and international development space.

Great leaders can motivate others toward achieving a shared vision.

Not so great leaders can cause team members to work long hours, lose motivation and quit their roles.

So how do we become great leaders, the kind that we admire?

One way is by going WILD.

The Women Innovators and Leaders Network, that is.

The WILD Network is specifically for aid worker leaders (women and men) to strengthen their leadership development and by doing so double their impact.

And today I have the perfect guest to introduce WILD - the founder Fiona Macaulay! 

In this episode Fiona shares with us about WILD and how it started, the amazing impact it's had for  leaders in our sector and the upcoming flagship event, the Women in Global Development Leadership Forum.

Resources mentioned:

WILD Leadership Forum

Last week we discussed what to do before you set goals for the year.

Today I am sharing an unconventional way of achieving your goals more easily and quickly.

I had not considered this part of goal setting before, but now that I am it has made a BIG difference in how I achieve my goals.

A few simple questions and reflection can put you on track to end your year on track and becoming the person you hope to be.  The type of leader you want to be.

And if you'd like to receive the coaching question for this episode by email. make sure you sign up for my weekly email list!

A new year has begun - and that means new possibilities!

The best way to achieve a future you're excited about is to define what you want.

Goal setting is how we define the future we want.

Setting goals is motivating and exciting, but many of us overlook a best practice in setting goals.

In this episode you'll learn what to do BEFORE setting next year's goals as a humanitarian leader.

This is an important step that if you do will make your goal setting for the coming year even MORE effective!

And if you'd like to receive the coaching question for this episode by email. make sure you sign up for my weekly email list!

A philosophy I am aspiring to live by right now is to take more responsibility in my work and life.  That means recognizing that the results in my life and work are consequences of the choices I have made.  Sometimes we confuse what is within our control and what is outside of it, meaning we do not always recognize how much control we have over certain outcomes (health, professional advancement, etc).  In this episode I present three primary areas aid workers forget we have control and how to regain control so you move closer to the work and life you want. 

Over the last few months I took the advice of some time management books and tried batching.  Batching means implementing similar tasks in one block of time. I am surprised by how much this simple act has freed up my time! For example, I used to spend 8 hours on producing one podcast episode, but after batching I can do about three episodes in four hours! There is much to be said about batching tasks, and especially as applied to aid work. In this episode I share some ideas on how you can batch routine tasks to free up more time and become more productive.

Maybe you've heard of a Mastermind Group.  Maybe you've even thought about joining one.  Well I can tell you from my experience, I have found them so valuable I have formed two myself and all three of my Masterminds have been invaluable in terms of giving me great advice during difficult times, encouragement when I have struggled and celebrations when I have done well.  Not only this, I have learned so much from my fellow Mastermind members around leadership and other topics!  I would not have achieved as much as I did as Country Manager in Timor without my Mastermind support.   I really encourage you to listen to this episode, as I outline how you can form your own Mastermind (so easy!!!) and start getting the support you seek from others.  I also share some lessons on how to make your Mastermind Group sustainable and strong, so you can continue receiving support for as long as you need it. 

Whether it's managing email, determining which working group meeting to attend or balancing time to respond to our team's needs, as aid workers we need all the help we can get to be able to make deadlines and maintain a work-life balance.  Of course there are a ton of resources on how to increase productivity - but what are some of the best tips for aid work?  

My guest today has figured out quite a few - with a ninja twist.  Lauren Pelascini's role as Sub Regional Head of Programs makes time management to balance the needs of three countries essential, and today she shares some tips from her favorite resource, Graham Allcott's book The Productivity Ninja.  

In this episode you will learn ways to do the following:

• Planning your day based on your energy level
• How to know your energy levels throughout the day
• How to best manage email 
• How to make meetings shorter and more efficient
• Why protecting your time is important and how to do it
• The best way to end your day

In this interview Edna Morris, with forty years' experience in the male dominated restaurant industry, shares some great advice to apply to our field in many of the patriarchal contexts for men and women.  For example when Edna was told by several men that the role she had taken at a new job should be for a man, she shares how she handled this situation in a way which earned her respect. She also shares advice around how her leadership skills evolved as she advanced in her career and examples of how she handled some difficult situations and managed to find a win-win for all involved. At the end of the podcast I will provide a summary of a few points of advice she gives and some ideas on how you could apply a few of these things to your situation. I know this episode is a bit longer than normal, but I made sure it is packed full of great advice that you may apply in your future. 

Wouldn't it be nice if a time management tool could solve all our problems as humanitarian and development leaders?

Unfortuntely, it doesn't work that way.

While time management tools can be helpful, there is something else you need to address before you can use them effectively.

Something that will have a much greater impact on your time management.

It has to do with the way you THINK about your time.

After coaching hundreds of humanitarian and development supervisors, I have found there are common ways of thinking which prevent them from taking control of their time and making the impact they want.

Listen to this episode to find out more.

NEW: For a full written transcript of this episode, please visit the link here.

Previous Episodes Mentioned:

How Respecting Your Own Time Leads You to Having More of It

We all engage with communities on some level in our work.  But the difference between meaningful engagement and mediocre is the difference between the community adopting new technologies or maintaining behavioral practices beyond the life of the project versus a full stop.

So how can we more meaningfully engage with communities?  Lucky for us, Deb Cummins of Bridging Peoples has significant experience in this area and provides some practical advice you can start using next week to better influence the communities in which we work.

Some of the areas we cover in this episode include:

• Difference between community development and engagement
• At what point in project life cycle to start thinking about community engagement
• Why engaging with local leaders is not enough
• Why community engagement is so important
• How your staff fearing failure may prevent community engagement
• The impact of being process focused versus outcome focused
• How what we measure for success is what will influence the level of community engagement
• Practical ways leaders can start encouraging teams to engage communities better (starting next week!)
• How to influence community engagement if you work through local partners
• Why stakeholder mapping is so critical at the beginning of a project

Just when you think you've established a healthy eating routine as an aid worker... you have to travel to the field. 

Whether it's the community or a field office, eating healthy can be challenging when traveling outside of our home base.  I have struggled with eating healthily in some very rural areas, but it is possible. 

In this episode I share with you six tips that will help you to maintain your diet when in the field, and by so doing maintain your health and wellbeing. 

ENCORE EPISODE (FROM 2018):
This episode is includes advice my husband Shannon and I have based on 32 years' combined experience in the aid worker and humanitarian field.  In this episode you can learn:

• Best thing you can do for your health when living in a difficult environment
• Our best advice for surviving long distance relationships (we have five years experience)
• Daily habits that made the most impact in our lives in 2018
• Habits we hope to maintain in 2019
• Books that have made a significant impact in our lives and work
• One of our favorite vacation spots

If you want links to the many things mentioned in the episode, you can go to www.aidforaidworkers.com/blog/51 or find them in the weekly newsletter if you're subscribed.  Enjoy!

We all have our strengths as leaders.

You know, the areas in which you feel come naturally to you. Maybe you even enjoy working on them.

It could be managing budgets, or helping local partners, or writing proposals.

Whatever it is, when you spend more time in that area, you are more productive.

And when you work in areas in which you're not as strong, well... things.... slow.... down...

So why not find ways to focus more on your strengths?

In this episode I provide a great way to focus on your strengths, but also help out your team.  A win-win for everyone!

As humanitarians unfortunately we are likely to have experienced burnout at one time or another.  And it was just this experience that inspired today's guest Dr. Gemma Houldey to do a thesis on the same - a look at the systemic issues in the aid world causing burnout.

As part of a way organizations can address the burnout of national and international staff, Dr. Gemma has also published a book (see resources section below) which provides practical ways we as leaders can help address it.

In this episode we cover:

• How we are all responsible for creating culture of wellbeing
• The importance of brave spaces over safe spaces
• How to Bring our human-ness back into the workplace
• The importance of bringing rituals to the workplace and how you can do so as a leader
• The importance as a leader of having a support section (like an accountability partner)
• And more!

Resources:

• The Vulnerable Humanitarian:  Ending Burnout in the Aid Sector by Dr Gemma Houldey
• For a 20% discount on the book enter the promo code for the above link FLY21
• Contact Dr. Gemma here

We've all had them in humanitarian work. 

Given that we spend the majority of our time working or with colleagues, they can make life difficult.  And we hope we will never be like them.

That's right, I am talking about difficult supervisors.

The kind that make you go "ugh".

I know I have had my own moments where I behaved in a way my team probably didn't agree with.

And that of course impacts team performance and morale.  And so our results.

So how can we NOT be a difficult supervisor, and show up as our best selves?

The key is self-awareness.

Find out how to become more self-aware and in-control of your behavior and results.  

What's a very effective and often overlooked way to increase staff wellbeing?  

Allowing them space to talk about things that are important to them, and asking questions to help them move forward.

In other words, having a coaching conversation.

In this episode I discuss the many ways coaching can increase the wellbeing of your team, and some powerful questions to use for just such a conversation.

And if you'd like to learn how to coach your team, enrollment is now open for my digital course:

Find out more here.

The past few years have brought many changes - one of which is remote work.  I know several supervisors who have not met their teams in person, and still don't know when that will happen!

So since we are working remotely, how can we build trust and an organizational culture?  My guest today Hawa Kombian is an Organizational Specialist who provides some practical ways leaders can do just that - unify remote teams.  

In this episode you'll learn:

• What the humanitarian world should consider before going to the field
• How to show up and communicate with colleagues to build relationships
• How to build trust with a new team
• The importance of values mirroring
• Why it's important to be intentional with hiring in these times
• Considerations to make when practicing your values
• And more!

Resources:

• Hawa's Social Media and Other Resources
• BRAVING Acronym by Brene Brown
• Your Emotional Bank Account by Steven Covey

We all sometimes have perfectionist tendencies.  Most humanitarians want to do great work!  However, when this desire to do great work makes us more stressed, prevents us from turning things in and keeps us paralyzed, perfectionism can ironically lead to imperfectionism.

None of us need added stress in our lives, and we all want to get things in on time, so how can we overcome the need for "perfect"? 

In this episode you'll learn:

• Common traits of perfectionism 
• Where perfectionism comes from
• The consequences of perfectionism
• Perfectionism and your identity 
• Five steps to overcome perfectionism
• How perfectionism leads to lower quality work 
• And more!

How open is the communication with your team?  Do they say everything that's on their mind, or are there certain things which turn into gossip and you hear second or third hand?  

From my experience, it is very rare to have a team that tells you everything.  There's always something left unsaid, that can potentially build and escalate into an issue that if unresolved can lead to staff turnover, low morale and more.

But how do we find a way to give our teams a voice that they feel comfortable with?  This is a question we asked ourselves when I worked in Timor-Leste several years ago, and the feedback mechanism we came up with became known as the SMT Plus.

The SMT Plus is a simple and yet VERY effective way to give your team a voice, and to show them you care and want to know about their concerns and challenges.  It allows staff a way for staff to speak up in a way they feel comfortable, and for you as leaders to build trust and engagement.  

In this interview with the current CRS Timor-Leste Country Manager Yane Pinto, as well as SMT member Alberto Freitas, and two staff members Helena de Jesus and Agus Ximenes, we discuss how the SMT Plus works, how it can be created and the numerous benefits that have resulted from it.

Here is a summary of some of the steps to consider as covered in this episode:

• Four SMT Plus members - two are selected by the staff (through confidential voting) and two by the SMT 
• Members must represent the staff - two female and two male, and balance of admin and programming, as well as a balance between more senior staff and drivers, cleaners
• SMT Plus members once selected approach each staff and ask what concerns they want them to bring to the SMT Meeting
• SMT Plus members rotate, and attend a quarterly SMT meeting and observe as well as provide insight to the SMT meeting around the topics brought forth
• The issues brought forward by the SMT Plus members must represent the concerns of the broader team/staff
• The SMT needs to show they have taken action and communicate how the issues raised by the SMT Plus members have been addressed after the meeting
• Not only does it increase trust and engagement, but also those selected as SMT Plus members feel honored and take the responsibility seriously
• Non-SMT members participating in the meeting can see how a SMT meeting runs and how decisions are made at the senior level
• Keep in mind to have a translator present as needed for staff that struggle with language used by SMT
• For more information, please contact Yane Pinto - Yane.Pinto@crs.org

What is a common fear of leaders in humanitarian and international development when it comes to coaching their teams?

The fear of losing respect.

Losing respect because their team sees them as needing to have all the answers.

So if they start asking their teams what they think, then the team will question their authority.

I understand the reasoning behind this concern, especially in certain cultures where leadership is more directive.

But how true is it?

And is it really true we need to provide our teams with answers all the time?

In this episode I share how this way of thinking can limit your growth as a leader - and how to use a more balanced approach which will motivate your team and take pressure off of yourself to need to know it all.

NEW:  For a full written transcript of this episode, please visit the link here.

Previous Epsiodes Mentioned:

How a Coach Approach Increased the Impact of Her Work - with Inonge Wina-Chinyama

Three Main Leadership Styles: Advantage of Each and When to Use Them

Wellbeing is a big topic of the humanitarian world these days, and rightfully so.  I mean, why is it an organization which specializes in helping people find it so difficult to help its own staff?

My guest today, Melissa Pitotti, has some answers.  And they may not all be what you think.  Melissa works for the CHS Alliance.  She recently helped conduct a research study called "Leading Well" which brought together 15 CEO's of humanitarian organizations to ask this question - what is preventing aid organizations from creating cultures of wellbeing and better work-life balance?  In this episode she shares the results from the study, and some practical tips you can apply to help your team and your own organization move closer to a healthy work culture.

Resources:

• CHS Alliance
• Core Humanitarian Competency Framework
• Working Well Research paper
• Leading Well Research paper
• Embodying Change podcast
• Stop Being Inconsistent and Start Aligning Your Values to Your Actions in Aid Work - Aid for Aid Workers podcast episode
• Melissa's email: mpitotti@chsalliance.org
• Oxfam Building Trust in Diverse Teams

If you're listening to this podcast, chances are you enjoy learning.  And that alone is not a bad thing.  But when learning becomes a distraction or way to procrastinate, or even overwhelming, it can become unhelpful.  And that is good to be aware of - because then you can turn it into helpful learning!

In this episode you'll learn:

- What makes learning helpful versus unhelpful
- Why we sometimes fall into unhelpful learning
- Two questions you can ask yourself to make sure your learning is helpful
- How to get out of the "unhelpful learning" rut

And more!

We all have those days in humanitarian work.  The ones where you're not motivated to do anything.  When you feel like nothing is going your way.  When you want to quit.

These up's and down's are normal in humanitarian work.  But sometimes you need that extra boost to get you out of that funk and back to your productive, motivated self.  In this episode I share eight ways you can feel better about your work again, and get into a more positive frame of mind.

Resource mentioned:

Molecules of Emotion: The Science of Mind-Body Medicine by Candace Pert