I’ve just had two weeks off work, and it’s the longest stretch I’ve managed since I went freelance. As I returned to my projects, everyone was quick to ask the standard “how was your break? question. But here’s the thing, I’m not sure a holiday with two small children qualifies as a break….
Tag: Non-profit
How to Work Together Well
Something you need to get used to as a freelancer is regularly starting new work. And it’s not just the work that’s new – it’s often a new organisation, new people/team and even a new industry to what you might have worked in before. New starts are always steep learning curves – a…
Embracing Chaos: Life as a Working Parent
Who was it who said “parent like you don’t have a job and work like you don’t have a child?” Would anyone own up to it now, in 2023? I wonder. The pandemic, for all its horrors, did some good in re-calibrating the work/life balance expectations of employers and staff. For those with…
For the Love of Lists
I remember deciding last year that I’d set half a day aside every week for business admin. It was really important, I decided, to safeguard that time and I’d be able run a business properly this way with all the right things in place. And honestly, I think I’ve managed that a handful…
Recruiting Well
You wouldn’t move in with someone without dating them first – so why should you accept a job after just an hour’s Zoom call? There’s been a lot of chat about recruitment lately – through some recruitment I’ve been supporting, with contacts about the recruitment challenges in the sector or going through recruitment…
Lessons in Mentoring
I’ve just wound up a year-long mentoring project. Last summer I started volunteering with The Cranfield Trust who provide consultancy and mentoring support to charities, free of charge. It’s an incredible service – and I wish I’d known about it when I started my first charity management role. I signed up as a…
Why Endings Matter
This week has got me thinking about the importance of endings. I’ve recently experienced a number of endings and it’s interesting to reflect on why they matter and what constitutes ending something well. In the space of the last month, I’ve finished a contract, ended a year-long mentoring relationship, had my last coaching…
Day in The Life
One of my favourite things about being freelance is the variety it provides. Wednesday felt like a particularly good example of that variety, as well as the brain-stretch you need to keep jumping between different work, so here’s another insight into a day in the life of a charity consultant: 6am ish: Wake…
International Mischief Making: Facilitation Training
“Serious results don’t require serious behaviour” is the motto of Mischief Makers – the international facilitation and training company. I’ve just completed an 8-week block of training with them on leading groups, with a particular focus on hybrid settings – where you have some delegates in person and some joining online. It’s been…
Generalists Unite
There’s a beauty and a complexity to being a generalist. How do you build and strengthen your professional identity when your range is broad? Awkward Introductions I feel one of the things I want to work on this year is being more comfortable owning the label of a generalist. When I started out,…