NGO Soul + Strategy – Details, episodes & analysis

Summary

In this final episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken sits down with Amitabh Behar, Executive Director of Oxfam International—one of the most recognized and influential global NGOs. Together, they explore what it means to lead transformative change inside a large, complex confederation while navigating a shifting political, economic, and cultural landscape.

Their conversation spans Oxfam’s ongoing change journey, its efforts to become a truly global organization rooted in legitimacy and equity, and the leadership lessons Amitabh has learned along the way. This episode is a fitting finale to the podcast—bringing together the themes of leadership, legitimacy, and adaptation that have defined Tosca’s work and this show.

Amitabh Bio

• Executive Director of Oxfam International
• Former CEO of Oxfam India
• Former Executive Director of the National Foundation for India
• Former Executive Director of the National Center for Advocacy Studies

We Discuss

• Oxfam’s decades-long transformation journey and its confederated model of global affiliates
• The rewards and tradeoffs of shifting decision-making power to the Global South
• The political dimensions of leading large-scale organizational change
• Balancing legitimacy, agility, and complexity in global NGOs
• The use (and risks) of academic or ideological language in public communication
• The critical question: should global NGOs narrow their roles for sharper impact?
• Amitabh’s reflections on AI, digital rights, and Oxfam’s 2030 strategy
• Leadership lessons for navigating power, resistance, and renewal

Quotes

Resources

Amitabh's LinkedIn Page

Summary
In this episode, I am joined by Doug Trout, CEO of DRi Waterstone Human Capital, to explore how nonprofit organizations can better invest in, manage, and retain their people. From executive recruitment to culture-building and burnout, this conversation takes a deep dive into what it really takes to thrive in today’s complex nonprofit landscape.

Bio

• CEO of DRi Waterstone Human Capital, a firm serving nonprofits with leadership development, talent recruitment as well as executive search 
• DRi Waterstone offers this valuable service to nonprofits, associations, foundations and social impact orgs in US 
• Before his leadership position in Dri Waterstone, Dough worked at the Montpelier Foundation and at the University of Virginia as an administrator, among others. 

We Discuss

• Why "time and talent" are the sector’s most valuable—and most constrained—strategic assets
• The disconnect between what nonprofits say about valuing their people and what they actually invest in
• How burnout, moral injury, and emotional fatigue are reshaping talent practices
• What skills today’s leadership teams need to build truly inclusive and agile cultures
• What nonprofit boards are getting right—and wrong—about talent investment
• Best practices for working with executive search firms and how to make the most of that investment

Quotes

Resources

Doug Trout on LinkedIn

DRi Waterstone Human Capital

Summary:

What are the attributes of the modern humanitarian and development leader? Why modern? In what ways? How does one become one?

Torrey’s Bio:

As a certified coach with twelve years’ experience in international development Torrey Peace facilitates rising and established leaders in the humanitarian and development world to become the leaders they admire, or “people centered leaders.”  She has taught and coached over 400  supervisors globally from the UN, INGO and civil society to become more inclusive and caring leaders that make a greater impact while also stepping out of overwork and overwhelm. Her mission is to provide leaders the skills they need to be part of the change we want to see in the humanitarian and development world while also maintaining their wellbeing. For more information about Torrey’s work and podcast, please visit www.aidforaidworkers.com. 

We Discuss:

• What defines the modern humanitarian and development leader?
• Why self-awareness and intentional leadership are crucial in humanitarian work
• The importance of recognizing and overcoming traditional ways of leading that hinder progress.
• Leadership coaching as a style, including the shift from managerial to coaching approaches.
• Reverse mentoring: how younger team members can teach older colleagues.

Resources:

Torrey's podcast: The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader

Torrey's website: Aid for Aid Workers

Torrey's Linkedin page

Torrey's course on Humentum's learning platform

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Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.

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Summary:

This is part one of a two-part conversation between two podcast hosts: Torrey Peace and myself. Torrey’s podcast is The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader. 

Torrey and I tackle two broad topics: in this first part of our conversation, Torrey interviews me:

How do people in development agencies experience organizational change? What is the psychology of organizational change that a development leader needs to be aware of? How can experiencing organizational change affect staff motivation? How, as leaders, do we tackle any reactance as well as resistance to change?

Torrey’s Bio:

As a certified coach with twelve years’ experience in international development Torrey Peace facilitates rising and established leaders in the humanitarian and development world to become the leaders they admire, or “people centered leaders.”  She has taught and coached over 400  supervisors globally from the UN, INGO and civil society to become more inclusive and caring leaders that make a greater impact while also stepping out of overwork and overwhelm. Her mission is to provide leaders the skills they need to be part of the change we want to see in the humanitarian and development world while also maintaining their wellbeing. For more information about Torrey’s work and podcast, please visit www.aidforaidworkers.com. 

We Discuss:

• What defines the modern humanitarian and development leader?
• Why self-awareness and intentional leadership are crucial in humanitarian work.
• The importance of recognizing and overcoming traditional ways of leading that hinder progress.
• Leadership coaching as a style, including the shift from managerial to coaching approaches.
• Reverse mentoring: how younger team members can teach older colleagues.
• Empowering teams by building trust and facilitating self-learning.

Resources:

Website

Podcast

Aid for Aid Workers

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Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.

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Summary

What does the concept of Ubuntu teach us about leadership, community, and the well-being of people in organizations?

How can African leadership models inform and enhance global approaches to management and organizational development?

How do we navigate the challenges of avoiding romanticizing Ubuntu while honoring its depth and practical value?

In this NGO Soul + Strategy podcast episode, Martin Kalugu-Banda, a thought leader on organizational development and leadership coach (among many other things!), about redefining leadership through African paradigms and systems thinking.

Martin's Bio

• Martin Kalungu-Banda is an expert in Leadership and Organizational Development, with senior-level experience in business, government, and civil society.
• He is co-faculty of the Leadership Academy at the Presencing Institute and the MIT Global Alliance for Banking on Values.
• Martin served as Special Consultant to the President of Zambia (2005-2008), helping to re-establish the position of Chief of Staff.
• As an adviser to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, he has supported leaders across Africa, including governance reforms in Rwanda, healthcare transformation in Namibia, and Tanzania’s National Skills Development Strategy.
• He has co-designed and facilitated flagship leadership programs for Rand Merchant Bank and HSBC, as well as teaching at Cambridge, Oxford, and London Business School.
• Martin is the author of Leading Like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela and other influential books on leadership and transformation.

We Discuss

• Martin shares how leadership as it is taught at the Presencing Institute involves “presencing”—combining being present in the moment with sensing future opportunities and needs.
• Ubuntu, often defined as “I am because you are,” needs to expanded as a concept to include interdependence across generations, global connections, and non-human beings like animals and nature.
• How Ubuntu aligns with systems thinking by emphasizing the interconnectedness of individuals, communities, and the environment.
• The challenges of avoiding romanticizing Ubuntu while appreciating its practical applications in leadership and organizational well-being.
• Coaching leaders to embrace open-mindedness, emotional intelligence, and an openness of heart and will in decision-making.
• How African leadership models provide valuable insights into collective well-being and interconnectedness that global North frameworks often overlook.
• Martin’s reflections on the limits of knowledge as we age and the importance of humility in leadership.

Resources

Martin’s profile at the Presencing Institute 

Ubuntu Lab Institute (similar institutes exist for other regions within the Presencing Institute)

Martin’s books:
Leading Like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela

Summary

How does an African management consulting company that expressly sets itself up to offer African solutions to African problems communicate its identity? 

What are some key differences in organizational development needs and cultural norms between development agencies in the Global South and Global North?

How can concepts like Ubuntu and Ujama inform leadership models in ways that resonate across African contexts?

In this NGO Soul + Strategy podcast episode, I interview Faye Ekong, Managing Director and co-founder of RavelWorks Africa, about designing management consulting solutions rooted in African paradigms and practices.

Faye's Bio

• Managing Director and co-founder of RavelWorks Africa for over 6 years
• Held multiple leadership roles at the NGO Action Against Hunger
• Former trainer and consultant at MDF Management Consulting

We Discuss:

• Faye shares how RavelWorks was founded to counter the prevalence of Western management solutions in African contexts, focusing instead on locally-developed approaches.
• While RavelWorks initially aimed to serve primarily African organizations, their clients now span Europe, the US, and other regions.
• Core clients include humanitarian donor agencies, NGOs, private sector companies, and some government agencies.
• Services offered by RavelWorks include HR, organizational design, system and process improvements, and learning and development, with a future-of-work lens.
• The African paradigm of communalism, exemplified by concepts like Ubuntu (“I am because you are”), prioritizes relationships and the well-being of staff and stakeholders. This contrasts with the Anglo-Saxon focus on task and goal orientation.
• The management and leadership literature has expanded beyond the US and Europe to include countries like India and Japan but still largely overlooks Africa’s unique contributions.
• There has been a significant uptick in the use of niche consulting firms like RavelWorks in the Global North, but European NGOs still tend to exhibit a control-oriented approach compared to their US counterparts.
• Faye emphasizes that Global North consultants can still play a meaningful role if they adopt humility, curiosity, and a willingness to understand African ways of working.

Quotes:
“If you lead an organization, choose courage over comfort” (Brenee Brown)

Resources

Website

Faye's LinkedIn profile

YouTube video of this podcast

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Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.

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Summary

How can nonprofit organizations leverage human emotions to enhance the impact of their campaigns?

What can NGOs learn from cognitive science to create more effective, empathetic communication strategies during a time of poly-crisis?

How can organizations shift from traditional advocacy approaches to more agile, psychology-driven methods for mobilizing communities?

In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Diya Deb, Executive Director at MindWorks Lab, about harnessing the power of cognitive science to transform nonprofit campaigning in today's challenging landscape.

Diya's Bio:

• Executive Director of MindWorks Lab, a global cognitive science innovation lab incubated at Greenpeace
• Nearly two decades of experience in grassroots and international nonprofit leadership
• Former Campaign Director at Greenpeace India and Amnesty International India
• Led global youth mobilization efforts alongside Indian Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi
• Co-founder of PowerSouth, an initiative focused on amplifying women's leadership in grassroots movements
• Advisor to multiple nonprofits on strategy, advocacy, and decolonizing research practices

We Discuss:

• Diya reflects on how MindWorks has grown since its early days within Greenpeace, evolving from theoretical frameworks to hands-on applications in the field.
• Diya highlights the urgency of adapting campaigning strategies to the current era of poly-crises, where overlapping global challenges are exhausting communities and donors alike.
• MindWorks has pivoted to focus on the role of emotions like anger and powerlessness in shaping people's responses to crises, drawing on new case studies from India and Indonesia.
• She explains how MindWorks seeks to decolonize research practices, shifting away from Global North-centric methodologies by grounding their work in diverse cultural contexts, especially in East Asia.
• The conversation explores MindWorks’ unique approach to agile campaigning, emphasizing rapid experimentation and applying cognitive science insights to their internal operations.
• Diya shares her thoughts on the implications of this research for philanthropy, urging funders to shift towards more adaptive, emotionally resonant approaches to support nonprofit campaigns.

Quotes

“Doomsday communications have clearly proven not to work”

“We focus on social empathy as an enabler for activism”

Resources:

MindWorks Lab Website

Diya Deb's LinkedIn Profile

YouTube video of this podcast (ADD LINK!)

Click here 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 if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.

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Summary

What are the key principles of African leadership that nonprofit leaders globally could benefit from adopting?

How does the African concept of Ubuntu translate into practical leadership strategies for nonprofit organizations?

How does African leadership balance individual and collective success, and how might nonprofit teams benefit from seeking the same balance?

In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Albert Anoubon Momo, axecutive, author, and board member, about leadership lessons we can all learn from African cultures.

Albert's Bio:

• Co-founder of a brand new company offering geospatial consulting services to emerging economies
• Former Vice President and Executive Director, Emerging Markets and Funded Projects at the Trimble company
• Former Director of Institutional Business Development at Trimble
• Management and Program Analyst at USAID
• Albert played multiple other roles as senior geo-scientist and GIS and software engineer, including at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) inside the US Government.

We discuss: 

• Albert has been a student of leadership from early adult life onwards, and he runs a large Facebook group on leadership. His experience has been primarily in the private sector , though he also plays governance roles in the nonprofit sphere, such as his role Board Chair of Cadasta (where Tosca is also on the board)
• Albert urges listeners to focus on what the African continent can bring to the rest of the world, and not to assume Africa just consumes from the rest of the world (especially when it comes to West-influenced leadership models)
• Subregions within the huge continent of Africa have had different influences on leadership approaches and practices: in Northern Africa and the Sahel, Islamic influences have prevailed while French colonizers brought more hierarchically oriented thinking to leadership; in coastal Africa, colonizers introduced Christianity which persists till today; and in Southern and Eastern Africa, Zulu-inspired Ubuntu philosophy has dominated
• Ubuntu as the most well known African philosophy emphasizes interdependence, solidarity, shared community, and communalism (also within organizational leadership and management) – different from the individualism more prevalent in Western societies
• What Western leadership practices can learn from African leadership approaches regarding employee engagement, shared value, shared futures, solidarity, and humanism
• In African cultures, traditionally councils of elders have played an important conflict resolution role; it is beneficial for global North/Western nonprofits to take account of these Councils' approach to seeking win-win resolutions rather than zero-sum litigation, their focus on the common good, common ground and shared goals.

Resources:

Albert’s LinkedIn Profile

Albert's Facebook group on Leadership

Book

YouTube video of this podcast

Click here 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 if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportun

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 podcast episode, I interview Michael Randel, Founder of Randel Consulting Associates, 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

Randel Consulting Associates Website

Blog post: Resistance to change is often misunderstood

YouTube video of this podcast

Click here 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 if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.

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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 podcast episode, I interview Taaka Awori, Founder & CEO of Busara Africa, 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

Taaka’s Website

Taaka’s book: Leadership Redefined: Untold Stories

Leadership in Africa Redefined Podcast

Busara Africa Website

YouTube video 

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