Aid for Aid Workers Leadership Podcast
300 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsHow do I lead a team in international development to better performance, while maintaining my wellbeing and making an impact in the community? Using her 12 years' experience in international development as well as professional coaching background, host Torrey Peace answers these questions and more in The Aid for Aid Workers Leadership Podcast. Here you'll find a mix of mini trainings and step-by-step guides, as well as best practices from other aid workers and a healthy dose of coaching from Torrey herself. If you're ready to become the leader you admire, then tune in weekly and start broadening your impact!
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Episodes
Stand Out from the Crowd: Three Unconventional Ways to Do Public Presentations in Aid Work
June 03, 2024 10:00 - 24 minutes - 19.9 MBWe’ve all been tortured by the same old “let me show you ALL my results” presentations in aid work. They all blend together after a while. So how can you make your public presentation (sharing of Baseline or Endline Results or Strategy) more memorable? Well you’re in luck, because in this episode I share three proven ways to conduct a presentation that will leave your stakeholders thinking “wow that organization is amazing! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!” Through these th...
Attributes You Need to Lead Effectively in the Evolving Humanitarian and Development Sectors
May 27, 2024 09:20 - 34 minutes - 46.8 MBThe humanitarian and development sectors are changing and we as leaders need to understand how our roles are changing in order to make the most impact. In this episode, we dive into the essential strategies leaders need to consider for enhancing equity, resilience, and accountability in global development organizations. With insights from Christine Sow, CEO of Humentum, listeners will learn practical approaches to overcoming bureaucratic bottlenecks and fostering a healthy organizational...
Office Gossip - Turning Toxicity into Opportunity
May 13, 2024 07:32 - 30 minutes - 24.6 MBOffice gossip can be very damaging to a team and organization, not to mention the reputation of yourself and others! Gossip can lead to low staff morale, feelings of mistrust, and even problems with staff retention. It is therefore essential that we understand how to recognize gossip, what it is and why it happens. In this episode I share this as well as five ways you can turn the toxicity created by gossip into an opportunity to reinforce a culture of trust, open communication and respec...
How Your Leadership Style May be Adding to Your Workload as a Humanitarian and Development Supervisor
May 06, 2024 08:17 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBHave you ever considered the way you lead others could be adding to your workload? Just as the way humanitarian and development work has evolved over the last 50 to 60 years, so has the need to lead differently. In this episode you'll learn: How leadership has evolved in the humanitarian and development sector and current requirements of the Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader 2.0 (today's leaders) When to use different leadership styles effectively to get the most from your ...
Why You Aren’t Managing Your Time Effectively and Three Time Management Tips that will Lead to a Bigger Impact for Humanitarian and Development Leaders
April 29, 2024 08:57 - 22 minutes - 27.6 MBDo you feel stretched thin by work demands, struggling to carve out time for impactful projects? In this episode, we uncover three often-overlooked strategies for time management specifically tailored for humanitarian and development supervisors. Here's what you'll learn: Gain insight into setting effective boundaries on your time and your team's time, empowering you to prioritize tasks strategically. Understand the importance of respecting scheduled work time, avoiding the trap of ov...
The First Step to Making an Impact as a Humanitarian and Development Leader
April 22, 2024 10:00 - 18 minutes - 17.1 MBHave you ever found yourself lost in the wilderness, not sure where to go or how to get there, surrounded by the unknown and potential danger? Just like navigating unfamiliar territory, defining and achieving impactful goals in humanitarian and development work can feel like wandering without direction. Without a clear vision, leaders risk inefficiency, aimlessness, and missed opportunities for positive change. Discovering the roadmap to impactful leadership is crucial in today's comp...
Why Open Door Policies Are Overrated as a Humanitarian and Development Leader and Why Protecting Your Time Makes You More Available
April 15, 2024 08:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBAre you constantly overwhelmed with a never-ending stream of interruptions at work? Whether you're a humanitarian and develoment leader in the field or managing a team remotely, the pressure to always be available might be hurting your productivity more than you realize. In today's fast-paced work environment, the expectation of constant availability can lead to burnout and decreased effectiveness. This episode dives deep into the myth of the "open door policy" and explores how prioritiz...
How to Know If You'll Achieve Your Goals as a Humanitarian or Development Leader
April 08, 2024 06:46 - 9 minutes - 7.87 MBWill you achieve your goals within a year? Many of us "hope" we will. But hoping alone will not get you to that promotion or to achieve that certification. There are two things that you need to do in order to successfully achieve your goals. And it comes down to how you use your time. Find out more in this episode. NEW!!!! Episodes are now accompanied by full transcript!!! Please find full transcript below, or you can visit the link here and when you push "play" the corre...
What You Need to Know Before Using a Time Management App as a Humanitarian and Development Leader
April 01, 2024 09:01 - 17 minutes - 13.7 MBWouldn't it be nice if a time management tool could solve all our problems as humanitarian and development leaders? Unfortuntely, it doesn't work that way. While time management tools can be helpful, there is something else you need to address before you can use them effectively. Something that will have a much greater impact on your time management. It has to do with the way you THINK about your time. After coaching hundreds of humanitarian and development supervisors, I have foun...
Will I Lose My Team's Respect by Not Having the Answers?
March 25, 2024 07:38 - 14 minutes - 11.6 MBWhat is a common fear of leaders in humanitarian and international development when it comes to coaching their teams? The fear of losing respect. Losing respect because their team sees them as needing to have all the answers. So if they start asking their teams what they think, then the team will question their authority. I understand the reasoning behind this concern, especially in certain cultures where leadership is more directive. But how true is it? And is it really true we ...
Slowing Down to Save Time
March 18, 2024 07:40 - 16 minutes - 13.2 MBWhen I was a leader in the international development and the humanitarian sector, I had many reasons to rush. There is always a deadline - whether a proposal, a project need or a government request. And yet there are consequences for being in a hurry and just trying to get things done. In this episode I share the importance of slowing down to understand and listen, and my own experience with what happens when we do not. For a full written transcript of this episode, please visit the ...
What Your Team REALLY Wants with Feedback
March 11, 2024 04:59 - 16 minutes - 13 MBThe word "feedback" in the humanitarian and development context can create feelings of anxiety, fear and anger. And yet, your team says they want feedback. So what is it they REALLY want? Most likely they want to grow, or become a better version of themselves in some way. The problem is if we don't know how to have that conversation, we can actually create the opposite effect - that is, a team member resistant to change. In this episode I present how to see feedback the way your te...
3 Main Leadership Styles: Advantages of Each and When to Use Them
March 04, 2024 04:44 - 25 minutes - 20.6 MBThe best leaders adapt their leadership style based on their team's needs. I like to think of the saying "wearing different hats" where one hat (way of leading) may be appropriate for one environment but not another. Similarly, we shouldn't always be leading one way. Sometimes you need to manage, sometimes you need to teach and sometimes you need to coach. Knowing the differences, the advantages and disadvantages of each and when to use them can help you understand how to create a st...
Coachable versus Teachable Moments with Your Team and the Impact of Each
February 26, 2024 05:13 - 14 minutes - 11.4 MBAs a leader who wants to strengthen your team, sometimes you need to teach them, and sometimes you need to coach them. There is a time for each - either your team member needs information to take action (training) versus needing self-reflection (coaching). I see many frustrated leaders who think they need to teach something - yet again - for someone to take action when in reality what's blocking them is something deeper, such as lack of confidence or motivation. Understanding when to u...
Making the Most of Performance Planning Conversations
February 19, 2024 03:12 - 18 minutes - 14.8 MBIt's that time of the year! If you're like many of the supervisors I know, you are probably delaying having them. Performance planning conversations! These conversations are one of the most important discussions of the year, but many of us see them as a "have to do" and not a "want to do". Why is that? From my experience, it's not that performance planning conversations are bad. It's that we are not doing them effectively. An effective performance planning discussion should l...
Diversity and the Coach Approach
February 12, 2024 04:33 - 14 minutes - 11.6 MBAs a leader you influence the level of diversity on your team. Allowing greater diversity results in your team contributing ideas and more innovation. And greater contribution/ideas = greater impact. In this episode we explore the story of Little Richard, an African American performer who despite many obstacles was able to be himself, resulting in him becoming one of the most influential people on rock and roll. So what allowed Little Richard to do so well, and what can you do as a l...
Becoming a Better Leader and Leading at Every Level - The 2024 Women's Global Leadership Forum
February 05, 2024 08:00 - 33 minutes - 27 MBThere are many ways to lead in the international development and humanitarian sectors. Whether it's by using a coach approach leadership style or by mentoring others, there are many ways to demonstrate leadership that benefit those around us. In this episode guest Fiona Macaulay (Founder of the Women Innovators and Leaders Development Network or WILD Network) shares how this year's WILD Forum will fulfill the theme "Lead at Every Level, Everywhere." We discuss how all of us can be bett...
My Top 3 Lessons Learned in 2023 - Part Three of Three
January 29, 2024 15:56 - 15 minutes - 12.4 MBHow we spend our time each day directly relates to our likelihood of achieving our goals. If we spend our time on what I call "empty calorie tasks" we will probably not change or grow much. But if we prioritize high quality tasks related to our goals, we will more likely achieve them. Understanding how to prioritize our time so we achieve our goals is one of my 2023 Lessons Learned. In this episode I share a helpful way to make decisions so you are on the path to achieving your 2024 ...
My Top 3 Lessons Learned in 2023 - Part Two of Three
January 21, 2024 22:00 - 12 minutes - 10 MBAre you approaching work from a scarcity mentality or abundance mentality? A scarcity mentality leads to fear, stress and worry. An abundance mentality leads to calm, motivation and inspiration. Over the past year I have learned that approaching things from an abundance mentality not only benefits me but others as well. And it is a lot more enjoyable way to work. Listen to this episode to learn more.
My Top 3 Lessons Learned in 2023 - Part One of Three
January 15, 2024 10:00 - 14 minutes - 12 MBI have taken time over the last few weeks to reflect on my top lessons learned for 2023. These lessons can help you achieve your goals for 2024 - faster and better. I am sharing them in a three part episode - starting with how I have learned to not rely only on one or two ways of reaching a goal. If you want to grow more as a leader, this lesson will help you greatly increase your chances of doing so.
When to Ask "How Can I Help You?"
January 08, 2024 07:00 - 19 minutes - 15.8 MBAsking your team "how can I help?" is a great way to show your support. But knowing when to ask this question can make it more helpful to your team member - and ultimately to you as a leader too. In this episode I explore the best way to ask "how can I help you?" as a supervisor in order to empower your team and not keep them from growing.
A Simple and Effective Way to be a More Empathetic Leader
January 01, 2024 07:00 - 16 minutes - 13 MBMost of us prefer working for a leader who we feel cares for us over one who only cares about results. Many research studies confirm the same: empathetic leaders create higher performing and more motivated teams. Chances are if you're listening to this you are already a caring leader, but there is an opportunity that many leaders overlook which is so simple and yet goes a long way when you want to demonstrate caring for your team. In this episode I share this simple thing you can st...
They are Watching You
December 25, 2023 08:00 - 11 minutes - 8.99 MBIf you find yourself saying things like "my team knows not to follow my bad example (working long hours, for example)" then this episode is for you. So many humanitarian and development leaders I work with think they are the "exception to the rule". That is that their team does not follow their unhealthy work style. But how true is that really? From my experience, it's not. In this episode I show you how you are influencing your team's behavior more than you think, and what may mo...
Finding Time for Developing Your Team
December 18, 2023 08:00 - 20 minutes - 16.5 MBYou have a lot on your to do list. Between all the meetings, email and your everyday obligations, things get busy fast! And yet, one of our most important priorities as supervisors can be one of the ones we delay doing the most - that is developing our team. How can you find time to develop your team while also keeping your other priorities? Listen to this episode to find out! Resources mentioned: - How to do a Time Audit (from previous episode How Will You be Remembered as a Lead...
How You May Be Delaying Your Goal Achievement
December 11, 2023 08:00 - 10 minutes - 8.06 MBHow have you done achieving your annual goals? Sometimes it feels like there's some magic formula that we are missing which will allow us to achieve our goals. Thankfully, that's not true. Achieving our goals comes down to one thing. And that is: how we have prioritized our time. The way we use our time compounded leads us to the results we have today. The good news is that means you can make a change. If you choose to use your time on the things that will result in a stronger ...
What Happens When We Already Know
December 04, 2023 09:06 - 10 minutes - 8.03 MBYou're listening to this because you want to grow as a leader. One way to do that is to be aware of your mindset. Having the right mindset, or perspective, can motivate us to grow and improve. But having the "wrong" mindset can lead to the opposite of growth. One limited mindset I see in humanitarian and development supervisors is when they tell themselves "they already know" something. "They already know" about this person. Or "they already know" about this skill. Or "they alr...
How to Make a New Way of Leading Successful
November 27, 2023 08:17 - 11 minutes - 9.19 MBWhether you know it or not, you have a certain way of leading your team. They are used to you doing things a certain way. So if you suddenly change that without saying anything... It could be very disruptive, and unproductive. In this episode I share what I've learned about how to introduce a new way of leading to make it successful, in part by making the transition more comfortable and inclusive. Resources Mentioned: The Coach Approach Leadership Style
Taking Your Power Back
November 20, 2023 07:27 - 14 minutes - 11.8 MBAre you the hero or the victim of your story? Sometimes we may be a victim - and not even realize it. And when we are a victim - we become helpless and hopeless. This means we don't act, we don't grow and we don't help ourselves or others. Because we see our situation as "reality" - rather than seeing it as a story that can change. In this episode I share how to recognize when you are in victim mode and what you can do to get out of it. Resources mentioned: The Coach Approach L...
Leading Versus Quality Questions
November 13, 2023 00:33 - 10 minutes - 8.36 MBWhen we communicate with others, and especially when coaching, the quality of our questions can have tremendous impact on the outcome. We can have good intentions, but a question which is leading or directive can shut down a conversation and limit the creativity and resourcefulness of those you work with. In this episode you'll learn how to know if you are asking leading questions, and what to do about it, so you can communicate more effectively and develop your team at the same time.
Why Doesn't My Team Have Ideas?
November 06, 2023 06:15 - 25 minutes - 20.3 MBThere are many benefits of a proactive team. A more proactive team means greater diversity of thought, higher team motivation and more time for you to work on the important things on your to do list. Sometimes just asking your team what they think is not enough to make them more proactive and independent. There are reasons why some team members may be hesitant to offer their ideas or make decisions on their own. In this episode we explain these reasons, and then address what you can ...
Are You Sports Coaching or Leadership Coaching?
October 30, 2023 09:37 - 9 minutes - 7.89 MBWe often hear the word "coach" and think it means the same, whether someone is a leadership coach or sports coach. But all coaching IS NOT created equal. Sports coaching and leadership coaching are actually very different, and in order to know which we are doing, it's important to know the differences. So we don't end up "sports coaching" our team. This is a common misunderstanding I see people make, and one worth clarifying. Join me in this short episode as I explain the differenc...
Why They're Not Doing What You Ask
October 23, 2023 03:35 - 21 minutes - 17.1 MBHas this happened to you as a humanitarian and/or international development leader? You have a meeting with your team, or community, or implementing partner, and you think you've agreed on what to do next. You come back a week later, and find out... nothing has been done! Why is that? The more responsibility we take for our team, the community, government, implementing partner (or even your kids!) not taking action on something, the more likely we can fix it. Because chances are,...
Why You Need to Have More Fun at Work - and Some Ideas on How
October 16, 2023 07:51 - 18 minutes - 14.6 MBDo you have fun at work? If so, how often? I think most of us can use more fun in our work and personal lives, but rarely do we stop to think about how to INTENTIONALLY create it. Having fun at work has been linked to greater productivity, staff morale, and creativity. And it doesn't require a big budget or extra time during the week. You can have fun while still working! How can you? Listen to this episode to find out.
Top 3 Coaching Mistakes Leaders Make and How to Fix Them
October 09, 2023 06:59 - 13 minutes - 10.9 MBThis week registration opens for "The Coach Approach Leadership Style" coaching course and to give you an idea of what we cover, I am sharing the top three mistakes I see new humanitarian and development leaders make when coaching, and how you can overcome them! I'm showing you how these might impact the quality of your coaching, and how to increase your effectiveness with a few small changes. To check out enrollment for the coaching course visit here.
A Simple Way to Motivate and Build Trust with Others
October 02, 2023 04:03 - 14 minutes - 11.6 MBUnderstanding how to acknowledge our team can be the difference between gaining their trust and breaking it. It's more than just saying "nice job!" or "you're amazing!" In this episode I share tips on how to acknowledge (hint, it's different from a complement) and how you can use it to motivate your team's performance and productivity.
How to Save Yourself from Unnecessary Stress
September 25, 2023 04:35 - 15 minutes - 12 MBDo you spend late nights thinking about all the things you have to do? Are you distracted worrying about future funding? Do you worry about bigger issues not within your control such as climate change or the economy? If so, this episode is for you. I share two practical and easy tips to help you overcome stress and overwhlem. So you can feel calm and focused. And focus on what truly matters - the present moment. Resources mentioned: What's Your Story?
Going Beyond Your Job Description
September 18, 2023 09:00 - 9 minutes - 7.99 MBWhat would you love to accomplish beyond what's in your job description? Not the "have to do" but the "WANT to do". Something that if you accomplished it, you would be so proud - and would make lasting impact on your team and beyond. Many of the leaders I work with have not thought about this. At least not intentionally. In this episode, I give you some ideas of what it looks like to go beyond your job description, and achieve something great. Your own leadership legacy. And i...
To Remote Work Or Not? Deciding Whether to Return to Five Days in the Office
September 11, 2023 03:28 - 15 minutes - 12.6 MBHas your organization returned to five days in the office? If so, how was the reasoning behind it communicated to you? Or maybe you made the decision for your team. I have been hearing more and more of organizations going back to the five days in the office work week. There is nothing wrong with that, but it seems that also the majority of people I've talked to don't fully understand what the rationale behind this decision is. And when we don't understand the reasoning - we tend to...
Why Do We Keep Referencing Toxic Leaders as Successful?
September 04, 2023 03:43 - 14 minutes - 11.4 MBThere are certain behaviors that over time have become acceptable and part of being a successful leader. These include working long hours, sacrificing relationships and even sacrificing our own health. Part of this problem is that the leaders that are named "successful" by society (especially in the western world) are actually following these same toxic behaviors. In this episode I share why it is so important we stop naming toxic examples of leadership as successful and what you can d...
Toxic Boss Burnout - How to Survive a Toxic Boss
August 28, 2023 04:21 - 17 minutes - 13.8 MBIt amazes me how common it is to have a toxic boss in the humanitarian sector. Unfortunately these toxic supervisors drive talented people out of the organization and do more harm than good. If you are one of those suffering with a toxic boss, this episode is for you. I share how to survive in this situation based on what's worked for me in the past and for others I've coached.
When Training for Your Team Won't Work
August 21, 2023 04:16 - 12 minutes - 10.1 MBWhen we plan our Development Plans for the year, and we want to be stronger in a certain area, we usually assume we need a training. And that may be partially true. But training alone does not guarantee action. Have you ever wondered why your team member attends a training on how to be an amazing presenter, and then still does not want to present? Or maybe they learn how to have a difficult conversation, but they still avoid having it. Many times the real reason we don't take actio...
How Often Are You Really Leading?
August 14, 2023 10:27 - 13 minutes - 10.6 MBSometimes we get lost in the busyness of our day, and we forget what leadership really is. True leadership is not about using our power to make others follow our commands. True leadership is about inspiring and motivating others to WANT to follow us. How do we do that? In this episode, we review what it means to lead, and how to know when we are leading versus doing something else, and the best way to motivate others to want to follow us.
What Is the Right Question?
August 07, 2023 07:00 - 16 minutes - 13.1 MBWhen you are coaching or learning to coach your team to better performance, you want to do it well. I see this with my students when they first start learning how to coach. They know they need to ask a series of questions to help their team think through their own problem. And so they want to know which is the RIGHT question to ask? What questions are the right questions? In this episode I explore how there are no right questions (sorry to disappoint), but there are questions you c...
Leadership Lessons Learned During an Unexpected Crisis - the Outbreak of Civil War in South Sudan
July 31, 2023 14:00 - 43 minutes - 101 MBEveryone has one or more moments in their life they will never forget where they were or what they were doing when an unexpected event took place. For me it was a typical hot sticky evening in South Sudan, with a broken generator in the hundred degree heat. I remember getting up in the night to douse my hair with water to cool down enough to get to sleep, and lying back down hearing fireworks (or maybe gun shots?) through my open window. The next morning we discovered indeed those gun sh...
How to Avoid Burnout
July 24, 2023 05:51 - 13 minutes - 10.5 MBBurnout is an ongoing topic of discussion in the humanitarian and development sectors. Like others I am always seeking ways to help aid workers avoid burnout. Recently I came across a webinar by Marcus Buckingham in which he spoke of how certain people effectively avoid burnout. And I wanted to share the takeaways with you. With a humanitarian lense, of course. You can start avoiding burnout, and make work more enjoyable... starting even today. Learn more in this episode. R...
Three Essential Components to Empower Your Team - Part Three
July 17, 2023 12:01 - 16 minutes - 13.1 MBWhat will make you successful at creating an independent, proactive team? Based on hundreds of hours of observation, I have come up with three components. I call them the Trust Triangle. The first is trust in your own ability (self-confidence), the second is trust in your team and the third is trust in your organization. In this episode we discuss why trust in your organization may prevent you from leading differently. That is, if you believe your organization does not give you per...
Three Essential Components to Empower Your Team - Part Two
July 10, 2023 12:00 - 15 minutes - 12.6 MBLast week we discussed how it is essential to trust ourselves (self-confidence) before we can trust others. This week as part of the Trust Triangle I am introducing the importance of trusting your team. If you don't trust your team, how can you empower them? You won't. So how do you know if you trust your team? There are a few ways to know - and they may not be what you think. They may be things you think are legitimate reasons to not delegate or assign responsibility. In this ...
Three Essential Components to Empower Your Team - Part One
July 03, 2023 11:19 - 15 minutes - 12.4 MBEmpower your team to do better work. Sounds great, right? So why don't more humanitarian and development leaders do it? It has to do with our trust levels. In order to lead in an empowering way and create a more inclusive environment, we need three essential components. It's what I call the Trust Triangle. We need to trust in ourselves (self-confidence), trust in our team and trust in our organization. Without one of these, we will not be able to fully empower others. In this...
How to Continuously Improve as a Leader
June 26, 2023 06:53 - 16 minutes - 13 MBIf you're listening to this, you probably are interested in growing as a leader. So how can you grow continuously and become a better leader? This is what I share in this week's episode - the kinds of questions you can ask yourself that will help you keep growing and improving, so you can make the impact you want. Resources Mentioned: The Coach Approach Leadership Style Registration open now until July 7th!
The Importance of Recognizing How Far We've Come
June 20, 2023 08:30 - 41 minutes - 33.1 MBIt's important to recognize how much we have accomplished and milestones along the way in our leadership journey. Today I am celebrating episode 250 with a special guest, Mark Peter Notaras. We discuss some recent achievements we have both accomplished, and the importance of recognizing how far we have come. Mark Peter Notaras was on episode 7 and now is back to share the handover of the Timor-Leste Food Lab and its flagship restaurant Agora Food Studio to a local team. In this epis...