Of course as leaders our teams will do what we ask.  After all, we are supervising them!  But what happens to all those initiatives you spent so hard working on after you're gone?  Will they continue on, or will they fall apart without your oversight?   In today's episode I discuss how to know if your team is really following you, and what to do if they aren't.  This can mean the difference between leaving behind a lasting impact versus a trail of unadopted initiatives.  And if things fall apart once we leave, then what's the point of "leading" to begin with ..read more

Today's episode is a bit different.  I thought I would share my experience after having COVID-19 back in early April.  Since then I have mostly recovered, but I wanted to share some things that are not being said in the mainstream media, and that I wish I had known previously.   I am not a doctor nor do I have a medical background.  I am not recommending a "cure" or one way to overcome COVID.  I am only sharing my experience and some things I have observed that should be more broadly known and also some things that have helped me cope during this time. I hope you ..read more

Today's episode is a bit different.  I thought I would share my experience after having COVID-19 back in early April.  Since then I have mostly recovered, but I wanted to share some things that are not being said in the mainstream media, and that I wish I had known previously.   I am not a doctor nor do I have a medical background.  I am not recommending a "cure" or one way to overcome COVID.  I am only sharing my experience and some things I have observed that should be more broadly known and also some things that have helped me cope during this time. I hope you ..read more

Have you ever noticed a voice in your head that is really good at filling in the blanks?  I promise you have one.  I know mine has gotten really good at telling me what someone else is thinking, or what they mean when they say something.  And sometimes it is right - but a lot of times, it's not.   Filling in gaps with our own assumptions and understanding of the world can lead us into trouble.  Especially in the international development field, where we are not only filtering what someone is saying, but we add a few extra filters based on our cultural background ..read more

Have you ever been frustrated with team members who won't bring up a problem until the last minute?  What about those who won't tell you when they are not clear on what you just spent an hour explaining, which you find out when they don't turn in the revised budget you asked for?  These are just a few of the scenarios which can result from cultural misunderstandings, and can lead to blocks in communication, strained relationships and poor performance. It is surprising how little we acknowledge cross cultural differences as a potential barrier in our working relationships, especially ..read more

In this episode I provide five habits you can easily practice to become a better leader in international development.  You'll learn how to incorporate these habits into your work week, and how they can help you become healthier, more motivated in addition to getting better results from those you lead ..read more

We all do it sometimes.  Despite great intentions of getting those important things done on our to do list, we find more interesting things to do.  And that means we leave that proposal, or budget realignment or whatever it is for the last minute.  This in turn results in stress, anxiety and maybe even poorer quality work. In this episode you'll learn five easy ways you can stop procrastinating and start holding yourself accountable.  Many of these things I have used in the past with success, and I am sure they will work for you as well.  So say good bye to those stre ..read more

The way we communicate can have a tremendous impact in our work and life.  Our communication style can deepen relationships and influence others to join our vision as leaders, or can isolate and create misunderstandings.  The good news is being aware of a few simple differences can allow us to communicate for the better, whether it's with our supervisor, our team, donors or even our family.   In this episode Farnoosh Brock of Prolific Living shares some effective ways you can immediately improve your communication with others.  Farnoosh is a coach, speaker and author ..read more

Given all that's going on in the world right now, it is definitely impacting your team in one way or another.  There are changes in different areas of their lives, and maybe more coming.  It is important as leaders that we allow space for our team to be able to talk about what they are thinking and feeling in order to understand they are not alone and also feel like they have been heard.  This can help morale and prevent rumors, and may even give you feedback to make better decisions. But I know it's not easy.  That's why I have turned to Brene Brown's advice on how to be ..read more

Subscribe to the Podcast Every day we have the opportunity to either strengthen or weaken trust with others through our actions and words.  There will be times when we act in a way which breaks down trust, whether intentionally or without knowing it.  However if you have enough deposits in your "trust bank account" from previous efforts, it can go a long way in terms of mending your relationship or at least making it easier to repair. In aid work establishing trust can be tricky because of working in different cultures and the tendency for turnover in leadership every three to five ..read more