Even though development and humanitarian work is unpredictable, there are some things that we know will happen.

When I was in South Sudan, these included:

- Delayed procurements

- Last minute government meetings

- Late liquidations submitted by partners

I knew these things were going to happen, and yet, I planned my time as if they were not.

Looking back on this, I find it so fascinating how we often resist reality.

Rather than planning based on knowing what will likely happen, we plan as if...

Many of us spend a lot of time preparing for meetings and for events on what we're going to say. 

We practice PowerPoint presentations.

We review our agendas.

But a few months from now, what will be remembered - what you said, or how your attendees felt afterwards?

It is rare we remember everything someone said - but we will remember how we FELT during an event or presentation.

And yet, we rarely spend time thinking about how we want others to feel at our events, and how we can...

What is your relationship with your team?

Do you tell them what to do?

Do you do work for them?

How often do you feel frustrated by another mistake, or something that's gone wrong for the sixth time?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be in a parent-child managerial trap.

We may not even be aware of how we can become parents sometimes when managing our teams.

But the result of this type of dynamic can be a team reliant on its leader, and not able to think for themselves, or...

In this final part of the three part series, I talk about what a leadership legacy means and how it can help us create lasting impact.

You'll hear about my own leadership legacy, and why I am so grateful for having spent the time to envision it and then create it.

If you're feeling demotivated or lost as a leader in the humanitarian and development sectors these days, this episode is for you.

And if you'd like to create your own unique Leadership Legacy, join me this Thursday, September 22nd...

I LOVE questions.

Not all questions....

The powerful questions.

I collect them actually.  :)

And so it's not easy for me to pick out three favorites. 

But I have chosen three that really helped me as a leader, and I know can help you too.

In this episode I share three of my favorite questions that have inspired others to take action and also helped me understand them better.

You'll learn what types of situations to use them, and how they work.

I challenge you to try at least one...

Most of us are hoping there will be significant changes in the humanitarian and international development sectors in the next few years.

You're probably already familiar with some of the wish list: localization, decentralization, greater equity and inclusiveness.

This sounds great, but how likely is it to happen?

And what role can we as leaders play to help make it happen?

In this episode I take the findings in a recently published report on the changing role of INGO's now and into the...

What's the biggest adventure you've ever had?

For my guest today, it's hard to choose.

Birgit Hermann has run marathons with penguins, biked through Africa and traveled all over the world.

Her love of nature as well as her adventures has shaped the way she leads and how she's now inspiring others to follow their dreams and get out of their comfort zone.

One tool that has helped Birgit become the leader she is today is coaching - both being coached as well as learning how to do it herself.

In...

We all know them.

Leaders who are not aware how their behavior impacts their team.

They have no idea that they frequently put the team down or start yelling for no apparent reason.

The kind of leader we all want to avoid and avoid becoming.

One of the best ways to become the leader you admire is by being aware of how your behavior is being perceived by others.

In other words, becoming more self-aware.

It is possible to grow your self-awareness.

And studies have linked it closely to increased...