From Vision to Culture Shift: Leading NGO Change Even When the System Resists

Have you ever felt excited to create change in your organization — only to lose momentum when things got hard, people resisted, or no one else seemed to believe in your vision?

If you’ve ever started strong but struggled to stay consistent as a leader, this episode is for you. Many NGO leaders begin with bold ideas and clear intentions, but when challenges arise, doubt creeps in and the vision fades. This week, you’ll learn why commitment — not motivation — is what separates those who make a lasting impact from those who simply get by, and how to keep going even when it feels lonely.

By listening, you’ll discover:

• How to tell if you’re truly committed to your vision — or just interested in it.
• The mindset shift that helps you follow through when motivation disappears.
• Practical ways to stay dedicated to your goals, even when others question or resist your ideas.

Press play now to learn how unwavering commitment can turn your leadership vision into a reality that inspires lasting change in your organization.

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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

From Vision to Culture Shift: Leading NGO Change Even When the System Resists

[00:00:00] How far are you willing to go to create the change you want? Today we're gonna talk about what true commitment looks like and why it's often what separate those who want and dream of change from those who actually create and achieve it.

Welcome to the Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader podcast. The podcast helping humanitarian and development supervisors make a greater impact by taking control of your time, leading more inclusively and empowering your team all the while avoiding stress, burnout and overwhelm. I'm your host, leadership coach and former aid worker, Torrey Peace. Are you ready? Let's get [00:01:00] started.

Hello, my aspiring modern NGO leader. I hope you're having a wonderful week.

And today we're gonna talk about Commitment. This episode is part of my mini series on the Three Cs of being a Modern NGO Leader. And last week we started with Courage, the first C. The courage to go against the grain. To lead differently even when your organizational culture hasn't caught up with your vision.

Today we're gonna move to the second C, Commitment; because courage might get you started, but commitment keeps you going when things get hard. So in this episode, you're gonna discover how to know if you're truly committed to the change you want to create; why commitment, not motivation determines your leadership legacy and [00:02:00] what being a modern leader really requires to make a lasting impact.

Alright, let's get started, shall we? So there was a time in my own leadership journey when I wanted to leave behind more than just reports and projects. I wanted to leave a legacy. I wanted to be remembered for my leadership in the program while I was there. I wanted to make an impact.

And at the time, I was a country manager in Timor Leste and I decided that my legacy based on my own interests and my unique potential would help shape an organizational culture. A place that would become the best place to work in Timor Leste. A place where people felt proud to belong. [00:03:00] I wanted my NGO to be the best place to work in the entire country.

Now, no one told me to do this. This was not part of my job description. It wasn't found somewhere in a project design, and in fact, most people around me probably thought it was unrealistic and a waste of time. But I knew in my gut that if we could just change our culture, our organizational culture, that everything else would follow: our morale, our motivation, and our impact.

So I started small. We used a big portion of our annual retreat, the first one that I had as a country manager, time that mostly would normally be spent on strategy and results, to co-create a series of values that would define our [00:04:00] culture. It took a lot of courage for me to do that. To go against what is normally done in these annual retreats and to focus on something that was not mandated by headquarters or by my region; to go first.

And after that, realizing and achieving that vision took commitment. So we talk about commitment all the time. Yeah, but what does it really mean? Have you really ever thought about what it means to be truly committed to something? So to me, commitment is when your decision is as good as done. It's not that if it will happen, it's when and how.

And there's a big difference between wanting something and being committed to do it. [00:05:00] When you want something, you'll do it when it's convenient. When you're committed, you'll do it no matter what. So for me, changing the culture wasn't an experiment. It wasn't a nice to have. It wasn't something that I try.

I had already decided that it would happen. The only question was, how I would make it work. And let me tell you, that kind of commitment gets tested. My supervisor questioned me on why we were spending so much time on team building and on revising and reviewing values. I overheard my staff whispering behind my back about how this was a waste of time.

People rolled their eyes when I mentioned values. There were so many moments when it would have been easy to quit, but [00:06:00] because I was committed, I kept going. I saw the vision even when it was uncomfortable, even when it was lonely, even when no one else understood the vision yet. And then, something started to shift.

After a few months of reviewing and communicating the vision and the values and asking what do these look like in practice and rewarding people who were practicing them, people started showing up differently. They started to connect more deeply with one another, and they took ownership. Our meetings felt more energizing, more motivated. People were talking about the values, even in the hallway. My superiors even began to notice a difference. Our engagement scores were through the roof and before [00:07:00] long, what once felt impossible became our new normal. And that change did not happen overnight. It happened because I stayed committed long enough for others to catch up with the vision.

 So this is what I want you to hear today. If you want to create change, real lasting change, a change that is from your unique contribution to your organization as a leader, you have to go first. You have to be willing to do what others aren't yet ready to do. To keep believing in your vision, even when no one else does.

That's what commitment looks like. And that's what modern leadership requires because you can go through your role as a leader and simply follow your [00:08:00] job description and just become another person who comes in and out that position. Or you can choose to lead change. The modern leader doesn't wait for permission.

They create the culture that they want to see. And that takes both courage and commitment. So take a moment right now and ask yourself, what's one change you're committed to seeing through no matter what, not interested in, not hoping for, committed to? And how would you show up differently if your decision was already made?

If this were as good as done, if you know that in the future you will achieve it, it's just now your present has to catch up with the future. [00:09:00] And next week we're gonna talk about the third C of the Modern NGO Leader, Community, because even the most courageous and committed leaders can't create change alone. We need others. It starts with us, but it helps to have those around us to remind us of our vision and to help carry it forward. So if you're interested in building such a community or what it looks like, join me next week as we explore how to build the kind of community that sustains your courage and strengthens your commitment.

And if today's episode resonated with you, share it with another leader who's ready to lead differently. You might just inspire them to stay committed to the change they want to create. Alright, until next week, keep evolving. Bye for now.

Are you the type of [00:10:00] leader that tells others what to do, or do you let them figure it out for themselves? Understanding your leadership style is a first step to deciding what's working for you and what's not. To find out your leadership style, take my free quiz, What is your leadership style? You'll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team, and a few practical ways to become an even better leader.

Just click on the link in the show notes, www.aidforaidworkers.com/quiz. Fill out your quiz and click submit. So what are you waiting for? Go to www.aidforaidworkers.com/quiz and discover your leadership style now. Your team will thank you for it.