Why I call myself the Mary Poppins of the Charity Sector

About a month or two ago, I changed my LinkedIn title from ‘Interim CEO and Charity Consultant’ to ‘The Mary Poppins of the Charity Sector’. It’s something I often say in passing when I describe what it is that I …

The case for paying interim Chairs

A stormy sea

Hey – are you interested in a new role? It’s hugely stressful, intense and often thankless. It will involve bearing responsibility for really important work that lots people are depending on. Oh, and it’s completely and utterly unpaid. …Where are …

Why it’s time we stop using the term ‘critical friend’

Two people sit at a desk working, they look stressed and frustrated.

Here’s a secret it’s time I reveal: I loathe the term ‘critical friend’. As a term, its intentions are pure: it aims to reflect the balanced approach between challenge and support that a charity Board is supposed to demonstrate towards …

Tired of experts? The charity sector is not for you.

Earlier today, a charity Trustee I know said to me ‘we want to bring in someone with no experience or knowledge of the sector’. Thankfully I lack a brick wall in my office or I may have found myself pounding …

Navigating the tricky path of charity CEO supervision

How do you supervise the leader of a charity effectively? If you’re a CEO or a Chair, chances are you’ve had to find your way along this challenging path. Many Boards and CEOs struggle with getting this right. Of course, …

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 …