In aid work, time is precious.  And although we know that spending time on our team's professional development will pay off in the long run, it often seems like competing priorities get in the way.  In today's episode you'll learn about a very efficient way to use your time during professional development, and three reasons why it's so effective.

Every day we have the opportunity to either strengthen or weaken trust with others through our actions and words.  There will be times when we act in a way which breaks down trust, whether intentionally or without knowing it.  However if you have enough deposits in your "trust bank account" from previous efforts, it can go a long way in terms of mending your relationship or at least making it ea...

Discomfort can be a sign that we're stepping outside our normal routine, and trying something new.  As I used to tell my staff, discomfort is a sign that you are growing.  But why do we get so uncomfortable in the first place and how can we manage our discomfort so it does not get in the way of reaching our goals?  In this episode you'll find four ways you can reach beyond your comfort zone in a...

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,...

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 qu...

A five year study by Google on highly effective teams found that by far the most important characteristic of a successful team is to feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable.   So how can we create an environment in which our teams feel safe enough to be vulnerable and in which we can have open and sometimes difficult conversations?

Whether it is a change in policy or a cut in funding, we all ...

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 lea...

This is one of the things I enjoyed the least about aid work--- the number of ridiculous meetings we have to attend. Of course some meetings can be very productive, but let's face it, most of them are at least a partial waste of time.   Because I have heard this is a challenge for so many of you, I am doing a two part episode on meetings - so you can free up more time during your week to focus o...

I have recruited staff before that were great at interviewing and talking about their experience, but once hired demonstrate a poor attitude.  One example is a Project Manager who was great at selling herself but then consistently talked down to the admin staff, treating them like her personal servants.  This type of disrespect is exactly the opposite of the type of culture we work hard to maint...

Do you ever feel like you are in reactive mode, responding to what is going on around you during your day but not having the time to work on tasks that require focused and undistracted thought time?  Making time for focused time or “deep work” as Cal Newport claims in his in his bestselling book, is linked with innovation, greater productivity and staff morale.  But deep work isn’t just somethin...