Organisational Change
Are you contemplating radical, transformational change? In need some fresh perspective or navigational support as you move through a complex transition (in leadership, strategy or funding model)? Or simply need a hand to review and refine structures and processes to make you fit for the future? I bring hands-on experience of creating deep, transformative organisational change. I can help you to define your direction of travel, co-design change processes, and develop collective practices in ways that are non-threatening, inclusive and transparent. Taking the fear out of change whilst creating brave space to experiment with new ideas, I support people to explore the incentives and drivers that will embed meaningful change. Across governance, leadership, people, programmes and finance, I know what it takes to deliver a peaceful revolution, and to take people with you on that journey.
Strategy
In need of some external facilitation to support your teams to explore the big picture and contribute creatively to strategy development? Or perhaps you have too many great ideas, and need support to review and refine options for future direction? Over the years, I have collated a rich toolbox of participatory approaches to co-creating strategy. By actively listening and meaningfully involving people with lived and learnt experience, strategic plans, theories of change and impact measurement frameworks shift from dry documents to living, breathing visions that inform the organisation’s allocation of resources and priorities. I incorporate systems thinking tools as well as strengths-based analysis, reframing competitors as collaborators and identifying / brokering partnerships that could multiply collective impact. Importantly, I also work with teams to understand what success looks like, operationalise their plans and equip them to deliver.
Impact and Learning
From developing a theory of change to finding creative ways to collect and analyse data in participatory ways which surface the impacts that really matter, demonstrating impact is mission critical. I can support impact and learning work by working with you to co-design an impact framework, build up an evidence base, build in multi-directional accountability and feedback loops, and build learning into future programme iterations. As a collaborative learning partner, with experience in trauma-informed approaches to learning, I can also help develop creative outputs using Most Significant Change and storytelling methodologies, as well as written reports and policy asks.
Governance and Shifting Power
Engaged, diverse, well-informed Boards create healthy organisations. Yet the very nature of Boards – often volunteers, often wearing multiple hats, not always up to date on how the organisation work – means its so easy for things to go a bit wrong. Power dynamics become skewed, there’s a lack of clarity on roles or strategic focus, connection to the work is somehow misaligned. I have worked extensively with Boards as a CEO and senior leader. I’ve also sat on the other side of the table as a Trustee and Non-Exec Director. I can bring Boards and executive teams together around purpose and values as well as navigating crisis situations and scenario planning. Always attuned to how are decisions made, who makes them and what analysis informs those decisions. I have a track record in shifting power at Board level, bringing in new voices (particularly people with lived experience) and more distributed decision-making. Whether you need a governance review, Board audit, development plan, Trustee recruitment or team-building support, I bring both head and heart to this work!
Team Building
From Boards to executive teams to networks, I work with teams to develop collaborative, inclusive approaches to achieving their goals. I’m well practised in bringing creative, problem-solving approaches to teams; creating clarity on roles and responsibilities, resolving conflict and reconvening around shared purpose through holding safe and open space for teams. Often, this requires surfacing, sitting with and shifting power. My favourite tools for radical yet compassionate team-building approaches are rooted in sociocratic principles of democratic decision-making and distributed leadership.
Mentoring and Pathfinding
Leadership can be a lonely business. I offer mentoring to experienced and emerging leaders whether they juggle global operations or run a grassroots community group. Because I have spent the past ten years in leadership roles, I understand intimately the challenges and pressures that come with the territory. A reflective pathfinder, I enjoy sharing my experience whilst helping people to unlock new ideas and creativity of their own (always leaving space for a good vent – its tough out there!). I provide pro bono mentorship via the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative and Thrive whilst offering paid mentoring across the sector more widely. I can provide short-term support to help you navigate a tricky situation or offer longer-term accompaniment as a critical friend and co-conspirator.
Communications and Influencing
I love to communicate. From writing reports (drafting, reviewing, copy-editing) to blogging and storytelling to creating strategic messaging, I can help you to create ethical communications content which centres lived experience. Working together, we can ensure that your work and your learning contributes to your sectors’ evidence base and scales your impact by influencing others.
Interim Leadership
Do you have a complex process that needs some hands-on support over a fixed period of time? A knotty project or partnership that needs some TLC? Or a team in need of some interim leadership? I thrive in complex environments, am quick to navigate systems and relationships, and have excellent attention to detail. I can help you to combine big picture strategic thinking with getting things done!