NGO Soul + Strategy

SummaryWhat does the concept of Ubuntu teach us about leadership, community, and the well-being of people in organizations?How can African leadership models inform and enhance global approaches to management and organizational development?How do we navigate the challenges of avoiding romanticizing Ubuntu while honoring its depth and practical value?In this NGO Soul + Strategy podcast episode, Martin Kalugu-Banda, a thought leader on organizational development and leadership coach (among many other things!), about redefining leadership through African paradigms and systems thinking.Martin's BioMartin Kalungu-Banda is an expert in Leadership and Organizational Development, with senior-level experience in business, government, and civil society.He is co-faculty of the Leadership Academy at the Presencing Institute and the MIT Global Alliance for Banking on Values.Martin served as Special Consultant to the President of Zambia (2005-2008), helping to re-establish the position of Chief of Staff.As an adviser to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, he has supported leaders across Africa, including governance reforms in Rwanda, healthcare transformation in Namibia, and Tanzania’s National Skills Development Strategy.He has co-designed and facilitated flagship leadership programs for Rand Merchant Bank and HSBC, as well as teaching at Cambridge, Oxford, and London Business School.Martin is the author of Leading Like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela and other influential books on leadership and transformation.We DiscussMartin shares how leadership as it is taught at the Presencing Institute involves “presencing”—combining being present in the moment with sensing future opportunities and needs.Ubuntu, often defined as “I am because you are,” needs to expanded as a concept to include interdependence across generations, global connections, and non-human beings like animals and nature.How Ubuntu aligns with systems thinking by emphasizing the interconnectedness of individuals, communities, and the environment.The challenges of avoiding romanticizing Ubuntu while appreciating its practical applications in leadership and organizational well-being.Coaching leaders to embrace open-mindedness, emotional intelligence, and an openness of heart and will in decision-making.How African leadership models provide valuable insights into collective well-being and interconnectedness that global North frameworks often overlook.Martin’s reflections on the limits of knowledge as we age and the importance of humility in leadership.ResourcesMartin’s profile at the Presencing Institute Ubuntu Lab Institute (similar institutes exist for other regions within the Presencing Institute)Martin’s books:Leading Like Madiba: Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela

SummaryHow does an African management consulting company that expressly sets itself up to offer African solutions to African problems communicate its identity? What are some key differences in organizational development needs and cultural norms between development agencies in the Global South and Global North?How can concepts like Ubuntu and Ujama inform leadership models in ways that resonate across African contexts?In this NGO Soul + Strategy podcast episode, I interview Faye Ekong, Managing Director and co-founder of RavelWorks Africa, about designing management consulting solutions rooted in African paradigms and practices.Faye's BioManaging Director and co-founder of RavelWorks Africa for over 6 yearsHeld multiple leadership roles at the NGO Action Against HungerFormer trainer and consultant at MDF Management ConsultingWe Discuss:Faye shares how RavelWorks was founded to counter the prevalence of Western management solutions in African contexts, focusing instead on locally-developed approaches.While RavelWorks initially aimed to serve primarily African organizations, their clients now span Europe, the US, and other regions.Core clients include humanitarian donor agencies, NGOs, private sector companies, and some government agencies.Services offered by RavelWorks include HR, organizational design, system and process improvements, and learning and development, with a future-of-work lens.The African paradigm of communalism, exemplified by concepts like Ubuntu (“I am because you are”), prioritizes relationships and the well-being of staff and stakeholders. This contrasts with the Anglo-Saxon focus on task and goal orientation.The management and leadership literature has expanded beyond the US and Europe to include countries like India and Japan but still largely overlooks Africa’s unique contributions.There has been a significant uptick in the use of niche consulting firms like RavelWorks in the Global North, but European NGOs still tend to exhibit a control-oriented approach compared to their US counterparts.Faye emphasizes that Global North consultants can still play a meaningful role if they adopt humility, curiosity, and a willingness to understand African ways of working.Quotes:“If you lead an organization, choose courage over comfort” (Brenee Brown)ResourcesWebsiteFaye's LinkedIn profileYouTube video of this podcastClick here to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.You can find Tosca’s content by following her on her social media channels: LinkedIn  Facebook 

SummaryHow can nonprofit organizations leverage human emotions to enhance the impact of their campaigns?What can NGOs learn from cognitive science to create more effective, empathetic communication strategies during a time of poly-crisis?How can organizations shift from traditional advocacy approaches to more agile, psychology-driven methods for mobilizing communities?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Diya Deb, Executive Director at MindWorks Lab, about harnessing the power of cognitive science to transform nonprofit campaigning in today's challenging landscape.Diya's Bio:Executive Director of MindWorks Lab, a global cognitive science innovation lab incubated at GreenpeaceNearly two decades of experience in grassroots and international nonprofit leadershipFormer Campaign Director at Greenpeace India and Amnesty International IndiaLed global youth mobilization efforts alongside Indian Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash SatyarthiCo-founder of PowerSouth, an initiative focused on amplifying women's leadership in grassroots movementsAdvisor to multiple nonprofits on strategy, advocacy, and decolonizing research practicesWe Discuss:Diya reflects on how MindWorks has grown since its early days within Greenpeace, evolving from theoretical frameworks to hands-on applications in the field.Diya highlights the urgency of adapting campaigning strategies to the current era of poly-crises, where overlapping global challenges are exhausting communities and donors alike.MindWorks has pivoted to focus on the role of emotions like anger and powerlessness in shaping people's responses to crises, drawing on new case studies from India and Indonesia.She explains how MindWorks seeks to decolonize research practices, shifting away from Global North-centric methodologies by grounding their work in diverse cultural contexts, especially in East Asia.The conversation explores MindWorks’ unique approach to agile campaigning, emphasizing rapid experimentation and applying cognitive science insights to their internal operations.Diya shares her thoughts on the implications of this research for philanthropy, urging funders to shift towards more adaptive, emotionally resonant approaches to support nonprofit campaigns.Quotes“Doomsday communications have clearly proven not to work”“We focus on social empathy as an enabler for activism”Resources:MindWorks Lab WebsiteDiya Deb's LinkedIn ProfileYouTube video of this podcast (ADD LINK!)Click here to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.You can find Tosca’s content by following her on her social media channels: LinkedIn  Facebook 

SummaryWhat are the key principles of African leadership that nonprofit leaders globally could benefit from adopting?How does the African concept of Ubuntu translate into practical leadership strategies for nonprofit organizations?How does African leadership balance individual and collective success, and how might nonprofit teams benefit from seeking the same balance?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Albert Anoubon Momo, axecutive, author, and board member, about leadership lessons we can all learn from African cultures. Albert's Bio:Co-founder of a brand new company offering geospatial consulting services to emerging economiesFormer Vice President and Executive Director, Emerging Markets and Funded Projects at the Trimble companyFormer Director of Institutional Business Development at TrimbleManagement and Program Analyst at USAIDAlbert played multiple other roles as senior geo-scientist and GIS and software engineer, including at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) inside the US Government. We discuss: Albert has been a student of leadership from early adult life onwards, and he runs a large Facebook group on leadership. His experience has been primarily in the private sector , though he also plays governance roles in the nonprofit sphere, such as his role Board Chair of Cadasta (where Tosca is also on the board)Albert urges listeners to focus on what the African continent can bring to the rest of the world, and not to assume Africa just consumes from the rest of the world (especially when it comes to West-influenced leadership models)Subregions within the huge continent of Africa have had different influences on leadership approaches and practices: in Northern Africa and the Sahel, Islamic influences have prevailed while French colonizers brought more hierarchically oriented thinking to leadership; in coastal Africa, colonizers introduced Christianity which persists till today; and in Southern and Eastern Africa, Zulu-inspired Ubuntu philosophy has dominatedUbuntu as the most well known African philosophy emphasizes interdependence, solidarity, shared community, and communalism (also within organizational leadership and management) – different from the individualism more prevalent in Western societiesWhat Western leadership practices can learn from African leadership approaches regarding employee engagement, shared value, shared futures, solidarity, and humanismIn African cultures, traditionally councils of elders have played an important conflict resolution role; it is beneficial for global North/Western nonprofits to take account of these Councils' approach to seeking win-win resolutions rather than zero-sum litigation, their focus on the common good, common ground and shared goals. Resources:Albert’s LinkedIn ProfileAlbert's Facebook group on LeadershipBook YouTube video of this podcastClick here to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportun

SummaryIs it that people resist change? That they fear change? Or rather that people fear loss?As a change management consultant, what is the most difficult or frustrating while supporting clients with change management efforts?What is one word most alive right now in the world of change management support?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Michael Randel, Founder of Randel Consulting Associates, on mastering the ever-complex world of organizational change management.Michael's BioOwner of Randel Consulting Associates, a boutique consulting firm that supports change processes across sectorsFormer Change Consultant in the World Bank's Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness departmentWorked for a Danish development agency in South-East AsiaStarted as an  Organizational Development practitioner in South Africa, at the YMCA during the anti-apartheid struggle. We discuss Michael worked as a young professional in the South African YMCA youth organization during South Africa’s apartheid struggles, which was a formative experience for him. It launched his career in change managementHe consults on change management across the private, public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. His clients all have in common: a social purpose.Early in his career, he discovered that we overestimate rationality in change management; instead, emotion is a significant factor. We also are simply unable to foresee all factors that will be at play in our change-planning effortsMichael uses a Gestalt approach in his work: in this approach, the forces that energize change are faced with forces that resist change – and Lewin’s forcefield analysis tends to apply. Put simply: people tolerate the current state of affairs till it is no longer tolerable. The Gestalt approach stipulates that we may need to intervene at the individual, team, unit organization, or sector level (or a combination)Michael appreciates Rick Maurer’s framework on resisting change, which emphasizes 3 factors, embodied in ‘I don’t get it’; ‘I don’t like it’; and ‘I don’t like you’. Each requires its response – and the three should not be confused. Quotes:Eisenhower’s quote (paraphrased here) is relevant in change management: “Plans are useless, but the process of planning is useful” Resources:Michael’s LinkedIn ProfileRandel Consulting Associates WebsiteBlog post: Resistance to change is often misunderstood YouTube video of this podcastClick here to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.You can find Tosca’s content by following her on her social media channels: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook 

SummaryWhat does it Busara's tagline mean: 'transformational leadership, from the inside out'?To what extent are there truly different global south-normed leadership models?Does personality still play an important role as well, in addition to national or regional cultural differences in leadership approaches?In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Taaka Awori, Founder & CEO of Busara Africa, a leadership development services company, on redefining leadership in Africa. Taaka's Bio:Founder and CEO of Busara Africa, a pan-African leadership development firm based in Accra, GhanaAuthor of the book Leadership Redefined: Untold StoriesAssociate Certified Coach with International Coaching Federation (ICF)Podcast host of Leadership Redefined: Untold StoriesMember of the editorial board of Coaching PerspectivesChair of the board of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF)Former Country Director of AAIAssistant Social Development Adviser, DFID (now called FCDO)Degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities We discuss: Taaka started specializing in leadership development and organizational development, after discovering as a Country Director at ActionAid that what was most needed from her was good leadership – not any technical specializationBusara’s tagline is - transformational leadership from the inside out – signals that leadership starts with self-awareness and self-regulationEqually, good leadership is a combination of not just intellect or analytical capabilities, but also innate and learned wisdom, and the heartOther premises of Busara: let’s build on the examples of excellent leadership in Africa (not the negative examples); and feminist leadership70% of Busara’s clients are NGOs; the rest are private sector and government agenciesHow are African leadership models distinct, if in any way, from global North-formed models? Another distinct element is the explicit inclusion of politization and thus the need for leaders to be aware of this, and to navigate it in a mission focused manner Busara is also interested to learn more about what’s to be learned from leaders of informal, non-registered organizations: informal worker associations, social movements and networksInteresting sub-continental dimensions of leadership within the African continent Resources:Taaka’s LinkedIn ProfileTaaka’s WebsiteTaaka’s book: Leadership Redefined: Untold StoriesLeadership in Africa Redefined PodcastBusara Africa Website  YouTube video Click here to subscribe or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.orgTwitter LinkedIn Facebook Youtube

SummaryHow should INGOs discern what roles are still relevant, legitimate, and needed, at this moment in civil society history?­­ And which roles they therefore  should *stop* playing?Is there more here, over and beyond stopping service delivery? (Which on its own is quite the shift)In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Dylan Mathews, Chief Executive Officer at Peace Direct. Peace Direct has been quite vocal, and has acted as a thought leader on this role question -- which I consider fundamental, and which I don't see INGOs facing head-on sufficiently yet. Dylan's Bio:Chief Executive Officer of Peace Direct Director of International Programs at Y Care InternationalProgram Manager at CAREWorked on conflict countries and issues with Landmine Action, Oxford Research Group, and the British Red Cross We discuss: While the sector is changing, once again, on several fronts (in terms of programming approaches, shifting authority/decision rights to the place of program impact representation, biz models, operating models etc.), what seems to get less attention is whether the organization should go through a fundamental role shiftCommon sense would say role and function, as well as strategy, should come before the other types of changes mentioned aboveOne organization that is advocating that NGOs need to tackle the fundamental question of role shift is PeaceDirect, with Dylan Mathews as its leader. So what roles are still appropriate, especially for global North-founded INGOs?Dylan explains the nine roles that Peace Direct thinks are still appropriate for INGOs What are, importantly, the implications of a change in role and function for, for instance, board competencies and mindsets, organizational size, staff competency profiles, and culture?Dylan shares what gives him hope as INGOs traverse this journey, but also what makes him skeptical that the role shifts Peace Direct points to will actually take hold among INGOs, Resources:Peace Direct WebsiteDylan’s LinkedIn ProfilePeace Direct reading resources: Link1, Link2, Link3  YouTube video of this podcastClick here to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.Or email Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want to talk about your social sector organization’s needs, challenges, and opportunities.You can find Tosca’s content by following her on her social media channels: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Youtube

SummaryConflict management and mediation are skills that come up frequently as a weak area in many of our social sector organizations. And these days, more than ever conflict is on the rise within our organizations. So how can we work through our conflicts more skillfully and effectively?Nathalie has answers for us. She's a trainer conflict mediator (as well as a Corentus, Inc. team coach) who helps teams and organizations develop better conflict management capabilities. And she's a valued colleague in a broader team I am a part of. Which means I get to learn from her!In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Nathalie Thompson, Owner of 5 Fold Consulting, on conflict mediation. Erica's Bio:Owner of ‘5 Fold Consulting’, a consulting and coaching firm focused on conflict management skill building and mediationCore Practitioner and Faculty at the Corentus team coaching companyIn short: mediator, facilitator, and coach We discuss: It is often useful to work on task-related conflicts as a precursor to working on relationship-based conflicts.There are cross-national cultural differences in how humans deal with conflict. As a mediator, it is important to first build relationship, to inquire what makes for a good conversation for the person, and how to structure the conflict mediation processThere are also gendered dimensions to conflict expression and management. Society tends to ascribe the term ‘aggressive’ to women (negative framing), for instance, when they engage in conflict, while men tend to be labeled as ‘assertive’ in the same context (positive or neutral framing)One way of minimizing interpersonal conflicts within organizations is to clarify expectations, styles, and preferences. Similarly, to clarify goals and parameters, and how to do the work. Also, to agree to tackle breakdowns in relationships by agreeing upfront how difficulties will be raised, and to work through the Corentus ‘6 question framework’ for dealing with breakdowns.Nathalie is among others an ombuds. This is an originally Swedish term that literally means: ‘representative of the people’, and is an independent, neutral person to whom staff in an organization can go for confidential advice, feedback on policy, procedure, or when they seek accommodation. Ombuds are independent from HR and can offer mediation, and raise sensitive issues such as harassment and performance issues with those in authority.The apparent rise in intra-organizational strife in civil society organisations is an extension of the external polarization in society: a tendency to think in terms of ‘one true way’ instead of accepting there are many different ways Quotes:“In the nonprofit sphere, people tend to be expected to be ‘so nice’; this makes it harder to exert accountability, and to say what needs to be said” Resources:Nathalie’s LinkedIn ProfileNathalie’s Email5 Fold Consulting Website  YouTube video of this podcastClick here to subscribe to be alerted when new podcast episodes come out or when Tosca produces other thought leadership pieces.

SummaryWhat constitutes a culture of philanthropy within nonprofits and NGOs? It's a term easily bandied around, but how do I see when it's in place?How has the field of direct giving by small donors, and monthly giving as one donor practice in particular changed in the last 10-20 years?Are there hurdles to be overcome in persuading donors to adopt monthly giving? Finally, there is a lot of discussion about the need for a shift towards ethical storytelling, with local program participants in the driver's seat, and while focusing on the local person's agency. The raison d'etre for this is clear; however, is this aligned with what motivates donors (at least in traditional fundraising 'markets') to give? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Erica Waasdorp, President of A Direct Solution, a consulting agency with expertise in direct giving and monthly giving, on trends in direct fundraising.Erica's Bio:Author and Speaker, and a Master Trainer affiliated with the Association for Fundraising ProfessionalsExpertise in Direct Marketing, Monthly Giving, International FundraisingUS Ambassador for the International Fundraising Congress (IFC)Before launching A Direct Solution, she held several consulting, coaching and direct marketing roles in various consulting agencies, nonprofits, and in the publishing industry. We discuss - particularly with regard to the US donor arena: Online donations have blossomed since 2011, to the point where people now have access to many online payment platforms, donation-by-text, etc.Religious people are more generous than non-religious people; and so are low to mid-income people (in relative terms, as a proportion of their income), as compared to wealthy peopleMonthly giving is an important strategy to underpin financial sustainability since it guarantees nonprofits potentially significant levels of dependable unrestricted revenue; this in turn allows the agency to do long-term planning.In the short term, when setting up monthly giving as one avenue, it is more capacity and resource-intensive for an agencyMonthly giving as one donation strategy has been around for decades, but many nonprofits have only started focusing on it in a serious way in the last 10 or so yearsThere is some tension between the NGO sector’s aspired direction of ethical, authentic storytelling – what Erica calls ‘the complete story’ --, that starts from a program participant’s strengths and assets and the opportunities they have rather than from a deficit perspective, and the need of donors to feel that they contribute to a clear need. This tension is not yet fully acknowledged.Intermediary nonprofit ranking and rating sites (e.g. Guidestar, Charity Navigator, Give Well, etc in a US context) fulfill a donor’s felt need for transparency and the ability to trust an agency, but such data is unlikely to shape  donation behavior of new donors in a major way. Child sponsorships are likely to continue as a vehicle for fundraising, but at a lower level than before. Many nonprofits’ donor pools are aging (a lot), and this will remain the case till current day Millenials and subsequent generations age themselves. Resources:Erica’s LinkedIn ProfileA Direct Solution consulting agency, founded by Erica (the site provides lots of free resources on direct fundraising) YouTube vid

Dr. Umar Abubakar & Justin Graham discuss Taimaka Project, an NGO in Nigeria focused on evidence-based decision-making. They talk about challenges, nurturing an evidence-based culture, and effective philanthropy. The podcast explores their start-up journey, empowering communities, clinical excellence focus, and navigating challenges in implementing evidence-based strategies.