In this final episode of the first OTMO series, host Joe Jenkins reflects back on the 11 conversations with 11 extraordinary social leaders through 2020. Recognising that the episodes were all recorded online against the backdrop of the global pandemic, inevitably COVID-19 cast a shadow across all the conversations – setting an incredible test for every leader and organisation. Yet throughout the series, Joe was struck by the ways in which every leader stepped up to the challenge.
Appreciating the diversity of guests, bringing a refreshing breadth and depth of perspectives, Joe draws out 5 key leadership themes and concerns that emerged consistently throughout the series: 1) the use of privilege and power; 2) leading through others; 3) the importance of courage and vulnerability; 4) offering a vision; 5) leading with hope.
In the episode, Joe reflects on each of the themes, drawing on comments made by leaders through the conversations and including excerpts from the previous episodes. If you’ve been on this journey with us through all 11 episodes, then hopefully you’ll enjoy this opportunity to look back; and if you’re yet to hear all the conversations, then this might inspire you to check them out!
As Joe concludes at the end, while the series has invited guests with “titled” leadership positions, to explore what’s on the mind of those who are required to deliberately and purposefully give attention to leadership as part of their work – it is important to understand every one of is a leader. We all carry some privilege and some power, we all have ways we can influence, inspire and empower others. And if we are to achieve the positive social progress so urgently needed – then we all have a role to play. We need great leadership now more than ever.
Thanks to all our guests in this first series: Stephen Hale, Refugee Action; Mark Russell, The Children’s Society; Lucy Caldicott, ChangeOut; Adeela Warley, CharityComms; Sufina Ahmad, John Ellerman Foundation; Polly Neate, Shelter; AmickyCarol Akiwumi, Money4You; Deborah Alsina, Independent Age; Anna Day, Centre for Social Change; Craig Bennett, The Wildlife Trusts; Simon Blake, Mental Health First Aid England.
And thank you to everyone who listened, shared, rated, commented and encouraged us to keep recording these conversations. We really hope you’ve valued the experiences shared in this first series of OTMO.
The Key Takeaways From This Episode
[00.00] Introduction to the episode[04.30] The use of privilege and power
[07.11] Polly Neate on ceding your power
[09.23] Leading through others
[11.02] Mark Russell on the 4 key words at core of being a leader
[15.23] Courage and vulnerability
[18.32] Simon Blake on vulnerability, courage and humanity
[22.50] Offering a vision
[25.00] Anna Day on transformational leadership
[30.50] Leading with hope
[32.45] Deborah Alsina on the power of people and kindness
[34.26] Final reflections on 3 core skills of leadership, how we can all be leaders, and why we need great leadership now more than ever
Resources From This Episode
- Simon Sinek, How Great Leaders Inspire Action – www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action
- The Culture Code – danielcoyle.com/the-culture-code
- Refugee Action – refugee-action.org.uk
- Children’s Society – childrenssociety.org.uk
- ChangeOut – changeout.org
- CharityComms – charitycomms.org.uk
- The John Ellerman Foundation – ellerman.org.uk
- Shelter – shelter.org.uk
- Money4YOU – money4you.org
- Independent Age – independentage.org
- Centre of Social Change – centreforsocialchange.co.uk
- The Wildlife Trusts – wildlifetrusts.org
- MHFA England – mhfaengland.org
PODCAST GUEST LIST: -
'On The Mind Of' founder and host Joe has worked in the UK charity sector for the best part of 20 years and has grown increasingly fascinated by the question of leadership for anyone concerned about doing social good. Because ultimately this is a people business – it’s all about inspiring,
Anna Day
Anna is founder and MD of the Centre for Social Change, founded back in 2018 to develop models of scaling up successful people charities and causes to enable them to grow their impact. Working with leaders across the charity sector, the centre has worked with a wide range of charities and social enterprises, including World Vision, Fertility Network UK, Full Spektrum, Pen Green Children and Family Centre, Fathers' Development Foundation, BrightPIP, Engage Antenatal, and Baytree.
Alongside the Centre for Social Change, Anna also founded the CEO Hacks for NonProfit Leaders and ChangeMakers - which is a CEO training community for charity CEOs who manage smaller charities with a turnover of less than £1m.
Linked In - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/annafday
Mark Russell
Mark is committed to disrupting the disadvantage that many of our children and young people face today. Mark joined The Children’s Society in August 2019 and has a passion and determination to protect, support and speak up for children and young people.
Polly Neate
Polly is the Chief Exec at Shelter - the homelessness and housing charity which defends the right to a safe home. She was formerly chief executive of Women's Aid, the national charity working to end violence against women and children. Neate previously worked at Action for Children and before that was editor of Community Care magazine.
A journalist by profession, she has contributed to national newspapers, magazines and books and has regularly blogged for the Guardian, Telegraph and Huffington Post.
Simon Blake
Simon Blake has been CEO of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England since October 2018. MHFA a social enterprise dedicated to improving the mental health of the nation.
Simon is also deputy chair of Stonewall UK the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights charity. He has dedicated his career to working with young people and creating platforms for people’s voices to be heard. In doing this, Simon has worked on some of the most talked-about and complex social issues of today; sex and relationships education, sexual and reproductive rights, volatile substance abuse, Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) and Citizenship and LGBTQ rights. He is driven by a passion for a better, more inclusive society where everyone can be themselves and he received an OBE in 2011 for his services.
Simon is also a dog lover, horse rider and a reluctant runner!
Linked In - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/simonblake
Deborah Alsina
Deborah Alsina MBE joined Independent Age as Chief Executive in October 2019 and brings extensive experience of voluntary sector strategic leadership. Deborah began her career in publishing and has subsequently worked in the voluntary sector for around 30 years, including over a decade for Bowel Cancer UK. She has also worked with a broad range of organisations from academic think tanks to charities working on international refugee and human rights issues.
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