Chasing Impact - The MzN International Podcast

Patrick Watt's insights into Christian Aid's 75 years of locally-led development, in particular the strategic points on implementing localisation, and the decision to draw back from direct implementation. 

Understanding Humanitarian Narratives: Insights from Zainab Moallin and Hande AkpınarIn a recent podcast, Zainab Moallin, Research Officer at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), and Hande Akpınar explored the complex world of humanitarian narratives. Their discussion, "Patterns and Divergences in the Narrative Landscape," examined how stories and frames influence beliefs, attitudes, and decisions in humanitarian contexts.Defining Humanitarian NarrativesMoallin emphasized that narratives are not merely stories but constructed frames that justify humanitarian actions. They shape decisions on why, when, and where aid is needed, who delivers it, and who receives it.Media Double Standards and Racialized NarrativesA significant portion of the conversation addressed media double standards, particularly in portraying refugees. Moallin highlighted the racialized narratives during the Ukraine crisis, where Ukrainian refugees were depicted favorably due to perceived cultural similarities to Europeans, contrasting with the portrayal of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.Neutrality in JournalismThe ethical challenge of journalistic neutrality was also discussed. Moallin noted that many news organizations prohibit journalists from taking stances on humanitarian issues, framing such positions as political rather than humanitarian.The Power of NarrativesMoallin concluded that vulnerability is a construct shaped by narratives, determining who is deemed deserving of protection. She stressed the responsibility of readers to critically assess these narratives.Key TakeawaysMoallin shared three key lessons:Recognize the Power of Narratives: Narratives shape perceptions and actions.Critical Thinking and Personal Agency: Evaluate humanitarian narratives critically.Responsibility of the Media: Support responsible and balanced reporting.For listeners, she highlighted two key messages:Question the Narratives: Recognize that narratives are constructed and may carry biases.Advocate for Fair Representation: Support unbiased representation of all affected by humanitarian crises.This insightful discussion underscores the importance of understanding and critically engaging with humanitarian narratives.

The pace of advances in AI is faster than anything we've ever seen in human history. Nathan explains how this can create a lot of overwhelm for leaders, leading to a disparate kind of view, with leaders saying, “I don't know what the future looks like if I use AI but I know what it looks like if I don't.” The sentiment is that we know we have to do something with AI, we just don't know what.If it sounds familiar to you, tune into the episode. Chris Meyer zu Natrup, Managing Director at MzN, and Nathan Chappell, Senior Vice President at DonorSearch AI, discuss:What AI can do for a nonprofit organization, not tomorrow, but today.The difference between predictive AI and generative AI, and how NGOs can use both together to serve their mission in a much more strategic and precise way.The steps every leader needs to take with AI. “I would identify where my biggest gap is, I wouldn't look at AI as this umbrella thing that could solve all my problems, I would get very specific on one gap or challenge that I have in my organization and then and only then would I look at the types of AI technologies.” Why Nathan believes that AI is the only scalable solution to reverse declines in charitable giving. There is a systemic decline in the number of people who are giving to charity in almost most developed nations, but Nathan describe two ways that AI can work to reverse this:It can create so much efficiency that an organization can now offload mundane tasks and instead spend more time human to human.By using AI at scale, nonprofits organizations will more intimately know their audience by using thousands of data points and will be able to identify those donors that will have the greatest lifetime value. Could AI actually make us more human and more empathetic by cutting through the dead digital overload that we are exposed to every day? What responsible AI looks like for humanity, and the outsized responsibility that the nonprofit sector has for ensuring we prioritize safety over scalability. Nathan closed by quoting Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's business partner, who said “show me the incentives and I'll show you the outcome”. If we look at the AI arms race, scale has been prioritized over safety almost every time. What do we think the incentive is for the nonprofit sector? ResourcesThe Generosity Crisis The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges, by Nathan Chappell, Brian Crimmins and Michael Ashley.Sgn up for MzN's free webinar on proposal writing and AI - link to the webinarMore on Nathan:Nathan Chappell is a Senior Vice President at DonorSearch AI, where he leads AI deployments for many of the largest nonprofit organizations in the United States. With over 10 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and fundraising, he is a co-author of the award-winning book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity's Greatest Challenges. He is also an inventor of multiple AI patents and a certified fundraising executive.Nathan is passionate about the responsible use of AI for social good and the ethical implications of AI for philanthropy. He is the co-founder of Fundraising.AI, a collaborative initiative that aims to guide best practices and accelerate the impact of AI on advancement. He is also a frequent public speaker, a Forbes Technology Council member, and a recipient of the 40 Over Forty Award for his contributions to the nonprofit sector. Nathan's mission is to reignite generosity and transform the future of fundraising through AI.

Darina frames equitable partnerships as the key to locally-led development. However, achieving such partnerships requires us to rethink the conventional project management model as we know it.

In this episode, Zoë Elliot from Women for Women International highlights the urgency to accelerate gender equality efforts. She discusses reaching marginalised women in conflict zones, the importance of crisis response funds, and the need to increase funding to women-led organisations.

In this episode, Antonie Treuren, Program Leader and Business Developer for Woord en Daad, walks us through the steps needed to address the root causes of poverty instead of treating symptoms, as well as why mainstreaming climate change adaptation across all programs is essential.On this year's World Day of Social Justice, we speak about: Letting the voice of the local people be heard, our local partners know better. We discuss the steps needed to empower those living in poverty to take on leadership roles and provide them with the necessary support.Systems change, it is more than just a buzzword. We discuss Woord en Daad's guiding policy Value-based systemic change, aimed to influence the root causes of poverty and social-economic inequality. How to shift our mindset from a project-oriented approach to a partnership-focused one.Mainstreaming climate change adaptation across all programs using a systems approach.The push towards climate-related funds, such as the Loss and Damage Fund, increases competition.The Benkadi Project: Woord en Daad's partnership across four West African countries, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali, focused on policy making, planning and implementation related to climate change. Benkadi, meaning 'working together in the same direction', has a focus on Southern leadership. The project's main objectives include strengthening the position of vulnerable groups and communities in the four countries when it comes to the effects of climate change. It aims to provide equal access for these groups and communities to rights, capabilities, and opportunities to be more resilient to climate change. The project also seeks to implement concrete actions to reduce ecosystem degradation, such as deforestation, coastal erosion, and pollution caused by gold mining. The project aims to work closely with governments, local communities, and the private sector in achieving its goals.Find out more about the Benkadi Project

A conversation with Samantha Ross, International Programme Director UK, of Link EducationTo mark this year's International Day of Education, we discuss Link's initiatives, the current landscape of funding, the locally-led development agenda, and the implications of climate change and technology on education.

In this episode, we sit down with Christina Bennet, CEO of Start Network, to explore the crucial question: how do we truly accelerate the global shift towards locally-led development, and not just commit to it?

In this conversation, Hande Akpinar, a Senior Consultant at MzN International, discusses the dynamics of localization and trust-based giving with Wendo, the Founder and Executive Director of Dandelion Africa. While the podcast provides the full experience, here's a sneak peek at what you can expect:Founding Dandelion Africa: A Path Filled with Unique Challenges and SuccessesWendo reflects on the inception of Dandelion Africa, highlighting the numerous challenges she faced as a founder, a woman, and a villager. Her journey led her to a leadership role she hadn't initially anticipated - The challenges of gaining trust in a grassroots organization, coupled with imposter syndrome and cultural biases against women in leadership, posed formidable obstacles. Nevertheless, the defining moments and the unwavering belief of an exceptional team in the organization's vision have been pivotal to Dandelion Africa's success.Exploring the Essence of LocalizationWendo explains what localization means to her, and how to empower local communities to take ownership of their development. It's not just about freedom, but the freedom to be authentically creative and innovative without the fear of failure. She explains how transparency and open dialogue between donors and the NGO is crucial for effectively structuring localization. This core principle shapes the quality of partnerships, work, and innovation within the organization. She explains the steps that will allow for this to happen. Trust-Based Philanthropy: A Game Changer for Local NGOsTrust-based philanthropy has been instrumental in enabling Dandelion Africa to put localization into action. With unrestricted funding, this approach allows them to think outside the box, make mistakes, and communicate openly without fear of losing funding. In doing so, the organization can better serve the communities it is dedicated to.Bridging the North-South Divide: Trust and Capacity BuildingWendo reflects on the global division between the North and South when it comes to funding and operations. In a world where some international partners might doubt the capacity of local organizations in the South to handle funding, project monitoring, or policy development, the need for trust and capacity-building becomes increasingly vital. Wendo emphasizes the importance of trust and capacity building, both among local organizations themselves and in partnerships with international NGOs.A Call to Action: Walk the Talk on LocalizationWendo concludes with a passionate call to action. She insists that organizations should not just talk about localization; they need to put it into practice, and she explains how. By truly understanding the needs and capacities of local actors and trusting them to lead their development efforts, a profound transformation can occur.Find out more about Dandelion Africa's mission to improve health and livelihoods for women in rural Kenya now

When we think of development, we often conjure images of aid budgets and financial assistance to lower-income nations. While aid is undoubtedly a vital part of the development landscape, it's just the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, Ian Mitchell, Co-Director, Europe and Senior Policy Fellow at Center for Global Development (CDI) sits down with Christian Meyer zu Natrup, Managing Director of MzN. Together, they unravel the recently published CDI's Commitment to Development Index, revealing a comprehensive assessment of what governments are doing for development beyond aid. This podcast episode explores the Commitment to Development Index, which looks at a spectrum of policies that influence the pace of growth for developing countries such as investment, migration, trade, environment, technology, health, and security. By expanding the dialogue to include these factors, we can shape more comprehensive strategies that lead to sustainable development. Using quantitative measures, this index compiles a ranking of the countries in their commitment to development across various dimensions.During this podcast, we'll explore real-world examples from countries such as Sweden, the UK, the United States and explore the deliberate policy choices that have contributed to their consistent successes or shortcomings.The conversation won't stop there. We'll transition into the realm of climate and development overlap, highlighting the urgent need to integrate climate considerations into development strategies. Climate finance, a substantial component of global aid, is poised to undergo the rigorous evaluation that development finance has experienced. This knowledge gap is of critical concern as it could affect the argument for climate action within development efforts.As we wrap up, we'll touch on the essence of trust in global efforts to reduce emissions and tackle climate change. Trust among countries is integral to forging collective commitments to emission reduction. Without it, nations might opt for cheaper, less sustainable technologies, creating economic advantages without sufficient accountability. We'll also discuss the pivotal role of carbon taxes in addressing climate change, offering a realistic alternative to subsidies and bans.Join us in this podcast as we journey through the multifaceted world of development, exploring how the Commitment to Development Index and climate considerations are shaping the future of global growth. This episode promises fresh insights and perspectives that will encourage you to reevaluate what development truly means.Explore the CDI 

Scaling Private Sector Involvement within UN Humanitarian and Development Systems- with Kareem Elbayar programme director of CBIIn this week's episode, we sit down with Kareem Elbayer, the Programme Director of the Connecting Business Initiative (CBI). We look into how the relationship between private sector entities and the UN humanitarian and development systems is evolving, exploring ways to facilitate businesses of all sizes in participating effectively in aid and development initiatives. Kareem explains the role of the Connecting Business Initiative (CBI) in bridging the gap between these sectors. CBI's mission is to simplify the process for companies, particularly those operating in disaster-prone regions, to seamlessly integrate with humanitarian efforts. It's all about fostering communication, building vital bridges between businesses, governments, and international organizations, and making engagements for the benefit of societies and for the people who live in those societies.Throughout this conversation, we unravel essential topics, including the challenges of coordination, the need for streamlined processes, and the imperative to scale up private sector involvement in disaster management. Kareem also emphasizes the importance of private sector engagement beyond financial contributions, aiming to leverage their expertise, agility, and extensive networks to support long-term development goals.Join us in this discussion that offers fresh insights into reshaping the future of humanitarian and development efforts through mutually beneficial cooperation with the private sector.Website Connecting Business Initiative

Mastering NGO Board Leadership - with Bill RyanWelcome to the latest episode of Chasing Impact, MzN's international podcast hosted by Managing Director Christian Meyer zu Natrup . Today, we're honored to have Bill Ryan, an acclaimed author and expert in NGO board governance, as our special guest. With over a decade of experience, Bill has dedicated himself to understanding the intricacies of board leadership.During our conversation, Bill shares valuable insights on the role of boards in the nonprofit sector and the importance of bold leadership in challenging times. He emphasizes the need to move beyond compliance and foster meaningful engagement for organizational success. Bill's work revolves around aligning purpose with practicality, equipping boards with actionable strategies for effective governance.Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:The significance of bold leadership in the nonprofit sector.Driving meaningful engagement beyond compliance.Aligning purpose with practicality in board governance.Overcoming challenges in translating board vision into action.Constructively challenging management as a coordinated team.Fostering productive teamwork through structured engagement.Practical solutions for addressing limited management perspectives.Stepping back with management to identify key board questions.Early engagement of boards in shaping ideas and proposals.The power of collective leadership for strategic discussions.Bill encourages purpose-driven decision-making and constructive dissent within boards. He provides practical advice on engaging with staff and committees while avoiding individual pursuits that hinder teamwork.One common challenge boards face is management's focus on day-to-day operations. Bill suggests stepping back annually and involving boards early in idea development.For a deeper understanding of board governance and leadership, we recommend reading Bill Ryan's book, "Governance as Leadership."Tune in to this episode of Chasing Impact to gain valuable insights from Bill Ryan on navigating nonprofit governance complexities and making a lasting impact.

In this episode, Chris is joined by blockchain fundraising expert Anne Connolly to discuss everything about crypto and how it applies to the non-profit sector. Listen as they explore the opportunities cryptocurrencies offer NGOs to optimize operations and engage new donors, while also discussing many of the myths and scepticism surrounding crypto donations.When asked what would you list as the "ideal prerequisites" that would make Crypto-fundraising & operations for an NGO/ charity particularly suitable? Anne replied  That's the beauty you literally need nothing... the prerequisites are1) A desire to learn new things2) Leadership willing to try new thingsWith this in mind, listen on to exploreThe shifting landscape of donor perceptions as the stigma surrounding cryptocurrencies gradually diminishes, leading to increased opportunities for NGOs to access serious revenue. The convenience and accessibility that cryptocurrency offers in supporting overseas organizations, fostering innovation and reshaping philanthropy practices.The strategic consideration of holding Bitcoin as part of an NGO's financial planning. Anne offers practical advice on setting up crypto donation mechanisms and suggests how to gradually allocate bitcoin to strategic planning. Anne's resources BookBitcoin And The Future Of Fundraising

In this episode of Chasing Impact, MzN interviews Sam Worthington, CEO of InterAction, the largest U.S.-based alliance of INGOs focused on people around the world (we recommend watching this video with closed captions and you can find the transcript below). Sam shares his experiences and insights looking back at two decades of leading InterAction, elaborating on the following topics:why local and INGOs need to work together to deliver the greatest impact possiblewhen the emphasis should be on local and when global aid is necessarywhy organizations should challenge the expectations and limitations that come with the resources donors, such as the government, foundations, etc., givewhat successes InterAction has had challenging the US government in the Supreme Court on behalf of civil societyhow to unite and manage a diverse group of actors under a common goalreminding (I)NGOs of their purpose in this world and warning them not to be disconnected from their valueswhy the size of an NGO does not matter when it comes to the impact it is able to deliverwhat the NGO leadership of the future will look likeRead full post here 

Looking to foster a healthy organizational culture and achieve greater impact as an NGO leader? Look no further than this episode of Chasing Impact with Denver Frederick.Denver Frederick, trusted advisor and executive coach to Nonprofit CEOs, shares his wealth of knowledge on how to foster a healthy organizational culture, emphasizing the importance of the CEO's involvement and measuring progress. He also discusses the unique challenges nonprofit organizations face, such as limited budgets and a lack of investment in technology, and how these factors can impact the culture.As NGO leaders, it is essential to empower your employees and create an environment that fosters intellectual friction, encourages diverse opinions, and allows people to speak up. Denver provides actionable advice on how to achieve this, as well as the benefits of bold leadership and embracing risk.If you're an NGO leader looking to enhance your organization's impact, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we learn from Denver's experience in culture engineering for nonprofits. Tune in now to gain valuable insights on the future of philanthropy!Denver's resources Denver's Latest Book: New Best Practices for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Leaders in an Uncertain WorldThe business of giving podcast https://denver-frederick.com/

In this captivating episode, we dive deep into the world of nonprofit management and strategy with David La Piana, an expert in the field. Join us as we explore the challenges and pitfalls of successful mergers and acquisitions, and discover the secrets to avoiding common mistakes. With David's wealth of knowledge and experience, you'll gain valuable insights into the best practices for nonprofit M&A, and come away feeling inspired and empowered to take your organization to the next level. Tune in to this episode and learn from two of the brightest minds in the industry, so you can better serve your NGO's mission by building the best possible organization. Access the resources mentioned in this episode right here:David la Piana's books:The Nonprofit Mergers Workbook, Part 1 linkThe Leader's Guide To Considering, Negotiating, And Executing A Merger Part 2 linkPlay To Win: The Nonprofit Guide To Competitive Strategy link

"I think the only thing that will give us greater certainty (for the future) is we've got to start where we are, and for me, that is in the core. We cannot do any development or humanitarian work if the core is not protected. And what is the core? It is our organization."In this episode of Chasing Impact, MzN Senior Consultant Carolin Gomulia interviews Reana Rossouw, the owner of Next Generation Consultants, a leading South African Management Consulting firm with a wealth of experience in the social innovation, shared value, humanitarian and sustainable development environments. They discuss how professionals in the development and humanitarian ecosystem can prepare for the future, more specifically: hindsight, insight and foresight as three concepts that drive future thinkingkey trends that define the post-covid worldwhat organizations should do to respond to these trends:multigenerational development, including the youth to dictate the future of the sectorprepare for more risks, especially regarding climate changeembrace technology and digitalize our programs, e.g. in the development of the education and health care sectorbecome comfortable with new funding mechanismsexplore new organizational types (both not-for-profit and for-profit)be able to prove our value by telling our impact story - impact management and measurement are essentialhow organizations can make decisions in a world full of uncertainty:"start where we are", make sure the core - our organization - is protected, reinvented and repurposed to be equipped for changelook at the effectiveness of our programs and worklook outwards to see who can help us scale and leverage our resourcesthree key things to focus on when preparing for the future:go deep - leave no stone unturned when looking at operations, programs, partners, etc.go wide - research the areas we are involved in, test our beliefs and assumptions, become comfortable with uncomfortable issues - go far and wide to make sure our solutions are fit for purpose for the future reinvent and innovate - ask yourself: in this new changed paradigm, what is your new value proposition? How is it different to what you have always done? How will you guarantee that you are the right person, the right organization, and that you have the right program to facilitate impact and change in the future? Who is Reana Roussouw? Reana has more than 30 years experience in business management at senior executive and director levels. Her expertise lies in creating and implementing strategies for innovation, growth and sustainability. Reana is a regular speaker at national and international conferences and has delivered various papers on her fields of expertise. She is also the author of three books and annually publishes Africa's research report on the future and impact of the social development and investment sectors.Over the past decade, Reana has developed Africa's first impact assessment methodology and technology platform, the Investment Impact IndexTM, which measures the impact and return on investment of social and impact investment. This methodology is now applied across the continent by social and impact investors, donors and grantmakers.Next Generation Consultants: https://nextgeneration.co.za/ 2020 CSI Trends, Forecasts and Impacts Research Report: https://nextgeneration.co.za/resources/research-reports/Investment Impact Index TM: https://investmentimpactindex.org/

"Duncan, you define yourself as a white, western 'rapidly ageing male' - that is something I can relate to! You then go on to say that our own perspective is limited to what we experience and who we are. How do we guard against that - and should the two of us, two white, western 'rapidly ageing males' really discuss how change happens and how to change the world?"  In this episode of Chasing Impact, Chris interviews Dr Duncan Green, Senior Strategic Adviser at Oxfam GB, Professor in Practice in International Development at the London School of Economics and author of the book How Change Happens and the daily development blog FP2P.  Among other topics, they discuss: -  how to guard against the arrogance of "inheritance" as white western males - practical information on how to use your platforms to make space for other, more diverse voices - as a leader, creating an organisational culture that rewards and values people taking (well-argued) risks that allow failure because failure can facilitate (accidental) success - "prepared minds" that can deal with randomness and who are able to work with accidents intelligently - the role of money in the incentive system for NGOs, foundations and other organisations - "positive deviance", localisation, alternative funding, domestic resource mobilisation - what makes the ideal "ecosystem gardener"  - and many other topics!  ________Dr Duncan Green is Senior Strategic Adviser at Oxfam GB and Professor in Practice in International Development at the London School of Economics. He is author of How Change Happens (OUP, October 2016) and From Poverty to Power: How Active Citizens and Effective States can Change the World (Oxfam International, 2008, second edition 2012) as well as several books on Latin America. His daily development blog FP2P can be found on https://oxfamapps.org/fp2p/. He can be contacted at d.j.green@lse.ac.uk or on Twitter at @fp2p.How Change Happens (Open Access): https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/a2d96f5a-5189-4cf8-a876-d44eda71545f/618650.pdfFrom Poverty to Power: How Active Citizens and Effective States can Change the World: https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/from-poverty-to-power-how-active-citizens-and-effective-states-can-change-the-w-115393/ _________Intro music: Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fugu-vibes/spatialLicense code: FFEXMMCJZOEANCT8

In this episode of Chasing Impact, Chris interviews Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive of Bond, the UK network for (now over 400) organisations working in international development. He challenges her with the following questions to which she provides some compelling responses: How likely it is to achieve the SDGs in less than 8 years left - is it even possible? Bond provides a space for MPs, NGOs and other actors in the development sector to gather new ideas and respond to challenges. But is talking really enough? There is such a huge funding gap, and it's getting worse. How do you see this as solvable?What exactly is the role of business and investors? Should they be working more with NGOs? Or donate more?  Outsiders looking on might get the impression that they are doing their own thing. Is that the case? What does the NGO of the future look like for you? What is the future of BOND, in your opinion?And, as a leader, how do you stay balanced while continually improving?MzN is proud of its partnership with Bond. We offer Bond members joint webinars, blog articles and Sprints. Find out more about our partnership and sign up for our upcoming webinars here: https://mzninternational.com/2021/09/08/our-bond-uk-partnership-continues/ We look forward to seeing you there!  __________________________Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. It was founded in 1993 with 61 members. Now it unites over 400 organisations, ranging from small specialist charities to large international NGOs with a worldwide presence. Bond aims to connect, strengthen and champion a dynamic network of diverse civil society organisations to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice. Stephanie Draper is Bond's chief executive. She has spent over 20 years working to accelerate a just and sustainable future, with a focus on sustainable development. She brings extensive international experience in bringing sectors together to collaborate and shape a better future.Find out more about Bond: https://www.bond.org.uk/about-us Find out more about Stephanie: https://www.bond.org.uk/person/stephanie-draper 

This is the third and final episode of a 3-part short podcast series in which MzN MD Chris Meyer zu Natrup and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Principal Consultant at Five Oaks Consulting, engage in candid, thought-provoking - and somewhat provocative - conversations about the future of the nonprofit sector and the mindsets and mental models that shape the organisations of today.In part 3, “Chasing Impact", they ask themselves if nonprofits can truly makeand measure the impact they set out to achieve. They explore why some organisations do notcreate the impact they desire despite the time and expenses they invest in their programs andwhat they can do to create a more learning- and evidence-driven culture.Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken bio: Tosca has worked on international development and civil society issues for 30 years, in practice, in academia and as an independent consultant. Her work with INGO leaders focuses on governance, change management, organizational culture, leadership development and organizational effectiveness of INGOs. While her practitioner background was mainly grounded in the international development sector, her research, senior leadership development as well as change management work has focused on clients across a multitude of sectors. Tosca is a public thought leader and co-author of the book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs' and host of the podcast NGO Soul+Strategy. She also founded an online course on virtual team leadership skills. The name of Tosca's consulting practice, Five Oaks Consulting, is a translation of her difficult-to-pronounce Dutch last name. :-)You can find the links to Tosca's services, podcast, blog and co-authored book here: Five Oaks overall consulting + coaching profile: https://5oaksconsulting.org/Podcast NGO Soul+Strategy: https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/Tosca's co-authored book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs' (2020, Oxford Uni Press, with George Mitchell, Hans Peter Schmitz as co-authors and Barney Tallack as a contributor): https://5oaksconsulting.org/book/Online course offering: Post-Pandemic Virtual Team Leadership Skill EssentialsTosca's blog posts as well as those of guest bloggers: https://5oaksconsulting.org/thoughtleadership/Tosca offers speaking engagements to staff, senior leadership teams and/or boards: https://5oaksconsulting.org/thoughtleadership/Her full, fee- and cohort-based course "Post-Pandemic Virtual Team Leadership Essentials" is now also open for enrollment!: https://5oaks.teachable.com/p/virtual-leadership-course - Five Oaks wants you to experience what it's like to once again find joy in your team leadership!-------Intro Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fugu-vibes/spatialLicense code: BG4G1RNDTFTEOLEX

In this episode of Chasing Impact,  MzN Senior Consultant Carolin Gomulia interviews Lydia Sleifir from War Child Deutschland about what it was like to start an NGO. Lydia founded War Child Deutschland in 2019 together with Dannie Quilitzsch. The duo ran the organisation as a joint directorship team while both working part-time. They can look back on almost three successful, but also challenging, years. In this episode, Lydia talks about:- the decision to found War Child Deutschland- how to get funding for a start-up NGO- the major obstacles she experienced to getting funding- what she would have done differently in hindsight- what it was like to start the NGO as part of a duo, together with Dannie- the key takeaways from her three years as War Child executive director Who is Lydia Sleifir? Lydia was one of the founders of War Child Deutschland and one of the managing directors. Her role at War Child Deutschland is to manage international relations and partnerships, programmes, human resources, finance, controlling and operations. She gained her experience in the development cooperation and humanitarian aid at Plan International Germany and, prior to founding War Child, worked as a consultant. Find out more about War Child Deutschland: https://www.warchild.de/ _________Intro music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fugu-vibes/spatialLicense code: QVQSL5BFELRJ2OS8

This is the second episode of a 3-part short podcast series in which MzN MD Chris Meyer zu Natrup and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Principal Consultant at Five Oaks Consulting, candid, thought-provoking - and somewhat provocative - conversations about the future of the nonprofit sector and the mindsets and mental models that shape the organisations of today.In part 2, “Chasing Funding”, they delve into the topic of the never-ending funding cycle and the seemingly outdated business model which most NGOs are forced to adopt. They assess why some organisations continue to grow while others stagnate and what NGO leaders can do to make their funding and business models more sustainable.Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken bio: Tosca has worked on international development and civil society issues for 30 years, in practice, in academia and as an independent consultant. Her work with INGO leaders focuses on governance, change management, organizational culture, leadership development and organizational effectiveness of INGOs. While her practitioner background was mainly grounded in the international development sector, her research, senior leadership development as well as change management work has focused on clients across a multitude of sectors. Tosca is a public thought leader and co-author of the book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs' and host of the podcast NGO Soul+Strategy. She also founded an online course on virtual team leadership skills. The name of Tosca's consulting practice, Five Oaks Consulting, is a translation of her difficult-to-pronounce Dutch last name. :-)You can find the links to Tosca's services, podcast, blog and co-authored book here: Five Oaks overall consulting + coaching profile: https://5oaksconsulting.org/Podcast NGO Soul+Strategy: https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/Tosca's co-authored book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs' (2020, Oxford Uni Press, with George Mitchell, Hans Peter Schmitz as co-authors and Barney Tallack as a contributor): https://5oaksconsulting.org/book/Online course offering: Post-Pandemic Virtual Team Leadership Skill EssentialsTosca's blog posts as well as those of guest bloggers: https://5oaksconsulting.org/thoughtleadership/Tosca offers speaking engagements to staff, senior leadership teams and/or boards: https://5oaksconsulting.org/thoughtleadership/ Tosca's free mini-course 5 Steps to Turbocharge Your Virtual Team Leadership is now live and open for enrollment!: https://5oaks.teachable.com/p/free-mini-course-5-days-challenge -This mini-course will help you ensure that your virtual team keeps ‘humming', is delivering top performance and deals effectively with conflict, while you do not burn out - and you rediscover the joy of working together!Her full, fee-based and cohort-based course Post-Pandemic Virtual Team Leadership Essentials is now also open for enrollment!: https://5oaks.teachable.com/p/virtual-leadership-course - Five Oaks wants you to experience what it's like to once again find joy in your team leadership!-------Intro Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fugu-vibes/spatialLicense code: BG4G1RNDTFTEOLEX

This is the first episode of a 3-part short podcast series in which MzN MD Chris Meyer zu Natrup and Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, Principal Consultant at Five Oaks Consulting, have candid, thought-provoking - and somewhat provocative - conversations about the future of the nonprofit sector and the mindsets and mental models that shape the organisations of today.In part one entitled “Chasing Innovation”, Chris and Tosca explore if nonprofits are at risk of becoming obsolete and what they need to do to survive and thrive in a modern, digital world. They discuss what leaders can do to transform their organisations into better-equipped problem solvers and innovators while the world is facing a climate crisis, a pandemic and a myriad of other challenges.Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken bio: Tosca has worked on international development and civil society issues for 30 years, in practice, in academia and as an independent consultant. Her work with INGO leaders focuses on governance, change management, organizational culture, leadership development and organizational effectiveness of INGOs. While her practitioner background was mainly grounded in the international development sector, her research, senior leadership development as well as change management work has focused on clients across a multitude of sectors. Tosca is a public thought leader and co-author of the book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs' and host of the podcast NGO Soul+Strategy. She also founded an online course on virtual team leadership skills. The name of Tosca's consulting practice, Five Oaks Consulting, is a translation of her difficult-to-pronounce Dutch last name. :-) You can find the links to Tosca's services, podcast, blog and co-authored book here: Five Oaks overall consulting + coaching profile: https://5oaksconsulting.org/Podcast NGO Soul+Strategy: https://5oaksconsulting.org/podcast/Tosca's co-authored book ‘Between Power and Irrelevance: the Future of Transnational NGOs' (2020, Oxford Uni Press, with George Mitchell, Hans Peter Schmitz as co-authors and Barney Tallack as a contributor): https://5oaksconsulting.org/book/Online course offering: Post-Pandemic Virtual Team Leadership Skill EssentialsTosca's blog posts as well as those of guest bloggers: https://5oaksconsulting.org/thoughtleadership/Tosca offers speaking engagements to staff, senior leadership teams and/or boards: https://5oaksconsulting.org/thoughtleadership/ Tosca's free mini-course 5 Steps to Turbocharge Your Virtual Team Leadership is now live and open for enrollment!: https://5oaks.teachable.com/p/free-mini-course-5-days-challenge -This mini-course will help you ensure that your virtual team keeps ‘humming', is delivering top performance and deals effectively with conflict, while you do not burn out - and you rediscover the joy of working together!Her full, fee-based and cohort-based course Post-Pandemic Virtual Team Leadership Essentials is now also open for enrollment!: https://5oaks.teachable.com/p/virtual-leadership-course - Five Oaks wants you to experience what it's like to once again find joy in your team leadership!-------Intro Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fugu-vibes/spatialLicense code: BG4G1RNDTFTEOLEX

In the first episode of Chasing Impact, MzN founder and Managing Director Chris Meyer zu Natrup interviews Alan Barlow, a former senior executive in a variety of business ownership structures, two-time author and trustee at the charity “Integrity Action”.Alan's book Purpose Delivered: Bigger Benefits for Society and Bigger Profits for Business - A CEO's Experience was published by Routledge in 2021 and has been nominated for the FinancialTimes and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award:  "Going beyond the why and what of purpose-led business, this book sets out an innovative business model of how to lead and operate a company to deliver its purpose." All the proceeds of his book go to the charity Integrity Action. In this episode, Alan talks about Purpose Delivered, shares his experience working as a senior executive with a purpose-driven agenda and explains what other executives can do to lead their companies with integrity and purpose. We hope the interview inspires you to do good, better. Alan Barlow bio: Alan Barlow has extensive experience of senior executive roles in a variety of business ownership structures, including CEO for a private equity-owned multinational engineering group, director at an FTSE 100/NYSE-listed energy group, and partner at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.Alan has a Doctorate in Economics from Oxford University and holds a portfolio of non-executive board directorships. He is regularly invited to speak at conferences, lead workshops and seminars on how leading and operating a business with heightened integrity directly results in bigger profits for business and bigger benefits for society.Download Alan's slides "Best practice metrics" and "Integrated business reporting" on our website: www.mzninternational.com/podcastFind out more about Alan's book Purpose Delivered: https://www.routledge.com/Purpose-Delivered-Bigger-Benefits-for-Society-and-Bigger-Profits-for-Business/Barlow/p/book/9780367757816Find out more about Integrity Action: https://www.integrityaction.org/Intro Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/fugu-vibes/spatialLicense code: BG4G1RNDTFTEOLEX

If you are continually seeking ways to maximise your impact and ensure that the world is a better place because your organisation or company is in it - not despite it - then “Chasing Impact” is for you. This podcast is for dreamers, thinkers, engineers and doers, visionaries and implementers. Or, simply put, for those whose core mission is to change the world for the better. We invite you to join us as we interview thought leaders in the nonprofit and corporate sectors, bringing their collective ideas and experiences into the world to inspire you to do good, better. 

In this interview, Carolin Gomulia, senior consultant at MzN, interviews Shannon Paige. Shannon is the author of the report “Time to Decolonise Aid” which was published in May 2021. The report gives insight into how inequality and power imbalances are deeply entrenched in humanitarian and development aid. The interview is captivating as it portrays the complexity of the issues around decolonising aid. Both the interviewer and interviewee are not shy to clearly articulate issues relating to systemic racism and structural issues. Yet, there are very practical ideas and suggestions for organisations on how to start the journey of addressing systemic racism and decoloniality. The interview does not only bring into sharp focus INGOs and NGOs but explores how consultancies such as MzN could contribute positively to decolonising aid.Read full article here