Shannon Trust Interim Leadership Case Study

It was an unusual start to an interim role. Far from the ordinary meet and greet with the team, I found myself travelling up to Leamington Spa on 19 March 2020 to have coffee with the Chair on my first …

Managing your stress in a charity role

I was running a strategic planning course recently and invited everyone to introduce themselves. One attendee described the organisation she chaired, which was a place for relaxing, stress-free, simple holidays. The entire room of stressed-out, overworked and tired charity staff …

In Celebration of Charity Chairs

No, I don’t really mean the thing you sit on. I mean the person who leads the Board and oversees and supports the CEO. I’ve worked with a number of Charity Chairs in my time – yes, a minority who …

Early warning signs of a failing Trustee Board

Working with many small-to-medium charities across the country, I meet many inspiring Trustees who are doing amazing work, often in challenging situations. I also come across many charities where things have gone badly wrong. This may be directly connected to …

Employing Trustees – navigating the minefield

So… can a Trustee become an employee of a charity? The answer, like so many things in the charity world, is not a simple one. A recent conversation with a charity Trustee revealed that they thought Trustees could become employees …

The Presidents Club: a scandal with lessons for all Trustees

The ongoing Presidents Club Charitable Trust scandal will strike most Trustees across the country as something that could never happen to them. It is sordid and hugely embarrassing for all involved: how could they not see this coming? But, all …