I knew there was something wrong when I woke up in rural Timor-Leste with a green tongue.
Yep, a green tongue. Â
And it wasn’t from a green apple lollipop.
It was from stress.
And this was my final indicator things needed to change.
Because I loved my work as a humanitarian and development leader.
I loved my team.
And yet, the WAY I was working wasn’t working for me.
And the way I was leading wasn’t working for my team either.
IÂ was on the path to burnout.
IÂ needed to change my way of leading.
But how to lead more effectively while doing less?
And so I started researching.
I consumed hundreds of hours of podcasts and books on leadership.
And that is how I found coaching.
I learned how to coach, and also how to better manage my time.
And I started motivating and empowering those around me to take more responsibility.
To do their best work.
I started creating a higher performing team.
The results were incredible.
We had almost no turnover.
Staff were growing and thriving.
Our staff engagement surveys were some of the highest in the agency.
I was doing less and getting more done.
And perhaps most importantly, I was creating an impact without burnout.
And it all had to do with changing the way I led my team - and myself.
I was becoming a modern humanitarian and development leader - one who achieves greater impact, creates a higher performance team and thrives while doing it.
A modern humanitarian and development leader:
- Understands how to lead through empowering others regardless of team culture or personalities
- Creates a more inclusive environment where diversity of thought is encouraged
- Takes control of their time for greater productivity over “busyness”
- Motivates their team to perform higher while becoming more proactive and independent
Since leaving my INGO in 2018 I have translated these lessons into a six week virtual course now called “Becoming the Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader.”
I have now trained hundreds of aid worker leaders like you how to use coaching skills to empower those around them (team, implementing partners, community and government) and to step away from busyness and toward productive impact.
Impact created not only by you - but by your team.
And that’s the best kind.
The humanitarian and development sector needs modern leaders.
You’re only a few skill sets and mindset shifts away from becoming one.
Want to achieve more impact while stepping away from overwork and overwhelm?
START HEREÂ "Becoming The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader" course has profoundly impacted me and my team. By cultivating a growth mindset, fostering collaboration, and empowering my team members, I've created a workplace where people are motivated, engaged, and eager to achieve success together. I believe that the principles of coaching will continue to guide my leadership journey, inspiring me to create positive and impactful work environments for years to come."Â
- Donat NTAGUNGIRA
Area Program Coordinator
Food for the Hungry Rwanda
 "After taking the course "Becoming a Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader" when one of my team members came up to me with a problem, I was aware that this person is capable of solving the problem by themselves, but they just lack the confidence to make a decision. In that moment I used the coaching method (learned in the course) to coach the person and ask them from a different perspective how they would act in this kind of situation, and also validating their ideas. At the end of the conversation, they became more confident and actually came up with the solution themselves."
-Â Bella
Humanitarian Manager
A Little
About Me
Obsessed with podcasts during long, bumpy road trips (Shout out to "The Tim Ferriss Show" and "The Moth")
Witnessed 2011 independence of South Sudan and the 2013 outbreak of war (thought it was fireworks)
Believed to hold longest record for ordering and then receiving project laptop (eight months)
Favorite meal on a budget: canned tuna mixed with salsa
Most fascinating place visited: Yemen
