Third Sector Podcast The Children’s Society’s boss on the challenges of leadership in a time of polycrisis
Sep 12, 2025
Mark Russell, Chief Executive of The Children’s Society, shares his extensive leadership experience in charities, tackling the unique challenges of leading through a time of polycrisis. He candidly discusses the mental health toll of constant crises and the importance of boundary-setting for well-being. Mark emphasizes the necessity for leaders to model healthy behavior and calls for boards to better support exhausted executives. He also highlights a major fundraising appeal aimed at improving child well-being and the vital role of collaboration in driving impactful change.
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Leading Through Continuous Crises
- Mark Russell describes leading through a string of crises since 2019, from COVID to cost-of-living and geopolitical shocks.
- He says the constant crises have made the last two years the toughest of his professional life and drained leaders' resilience.
Personal Toll And Recovery Steps
- Mark Russell shares that the pressures affected his mental health and wellbeing and that he had previously burned out once.
- He describes using exercise, honesty with trustees, and peer support to rebuild resilience.
Enforce Strict Work Boundaries
- Be strict about boundaries: schedule rest, balance evening/weekend events with time off, and protect yourself from overwork.
- Use an assistant, refuse to be always-on, and spot early signs of burnout to avoid returning to dark periods.