NGO Soul + Strategy

Summary In this final episode of NGO Soul + Strategy , Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken sits down with Amitabh Behar , Executive Director of Oxfam International —one of the most recognized and influential global NGOs. Together, they explore what it means to lead transformative change inside a large, complex confederation while navigating a shifting political, economic, and cultural landscape. Their conv...

Summary In this episode, I am joined by Doug Trout , CEO of DRi Waterstone Human Capital, to explore how nonprofit organizations can better invest in, manage, and retain their people. From executive recruitment to culture-building and burnout, this conversation takes a deep dive into what it really takes to thrive in today’s complex nonprofit landscape. Bio CEO of DRi Waterstone Human Capital , a...

Summary Innovation is often treated as a buzzword—but few nonprofit leaders take a hard look at the cultural, structural, and leadership obstacles that keep it from taking root. In this episode, Tosca talks with Carlos Simon, an innovation strategist and longtime leader at World Vision, about what it really takes to build innovation-ready organizations. From internal mindsets to outdated processes...

Summary:  What does it really mean to lead through a feminist lens? In this episode of NGO Soul + Strategy , I sit down with Jayanta Bora, a seasoned People & Culture expert who has helped shape leadership practices across major NGOs. Drawing from his own matrilinear upbringing and decades of experience, Jayanta explores feminist leadership not as a gendered concept but as a deliberate, power-...

In this episode, I speak with Andrew Henck, a scholar-practitioner whose recent PhD research offers a nuanced take on organizational culture in humanitarian NGOs. Together, we explore how culture goes far beyond shared values—it is a lens through which organizations make sense of their reality. They also examine what this means for safeguarding, accountability, and leadership in NGOs, especially a...

What happens when your nonprofit receives a transformational gift—seemingly out of the blue? In this episode, change management expert Michael Randel joins Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken to explore what nonprofits can learn from the MacKenzie Scott giving wave. Together, they discuss how to prepare for sudden funding growth, what risks to avoid, and how to communicate wisely during a time of high visi...

Show Notes Summary Land rights are at the heart of building a sustainable and equitable future. Yet securing these rights—especially for marginalized communities—remains a profound global challenge. In this episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, I sit down with Amy Coughenour Betancourt , President and CEO of Cadasta , a global social innovation organization dedicated to advancing affordable, accessible...

Summary The International Tunnelling Association (ITA) plays a critical role in global infrastructure, ensuring clean water, sewage systems, and transport for millions while contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But behind the technical achievements lies a deeper challenge—modernizing an industry traditionally dominated by European, American, and Australian professionals. In...

Summary What does it take to lead an organization through a responsible and strategic closure? In this episode, I speak with Amy Miller-Taylor , former Executive Director of Global Integrity , about her experience navigating the complex decision to wind down an organization while ensuring its legacy, people, and resources were safeguarded. We explore the financial and strategic challenges that led...

Western coaching models weren’t built for African leaders.  So Nankhonde Kasonde , a Zambian international development as well as a leadership development specialist and certified coach, created something that was. Nankhonde's Bio: Nankhonde Kasonde is a Zambian international development specialist, certified leadership coach, and the founder of Zanga , an African leadership assessment and HR...

Summary: What are the attributes of the modern humanitarian and development leader? Why modern? In what ways? How does one become one? Torrey’s Bio: As a certified coach with twelve years’ experience in international development Torrey Peace facilitates rising and established leaders in the humanitarian and development world to become the leaders they admire, or “people centered leaders.”  She has...

Summary: This is part one of a two-part conversation between two podcast hosts: Torrey Peace and myself. Torrey’s podcast is The Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader.  Torrey and I tackle two broad topics: in this first part of our conversation, Torrey interviews me: How do people in development agencies experience organizational change? What is the psychology of organizational change that a...

Summary What does the concept of Ubuntu teach us about leadership, community, and the well-being of people in organizations? How can African leadership models inform and enhance global approaches to management and organizational development? How do we navigate the challenges of avoiding romanticizing Ubuntu while honoring its depth and practical value? In this NGO Soul + Strategy podcast episode,...

Summary How does an African management consulting company that expressly sets itself up to offer African solutions to African problems communicate its identity?  What are some key differences in organizational development needs and cultural norms between development agencies in the Global South and Global North? How can concepts like Ubuntu and Ujama inform leadership models in ways that resonate...

Summary How can nonprofit organizations leverage human emotions to enhance the impact of their campaigns? What can NGOs learn from cognitive science to create more effective, empathetic communication strategies during a time of poly-crisis? How can organizations shift from traditional advocacy approaches to more agile, psychology-driven methods for mobilizing communities? In this NGO Soul+Strategy...

Summary What are the key principles of African leadership that nonprofit leaders globally could benefit from adopting? How does the African concept of Ubuntu translate into practical leadership strategies for nonprofit organizations? How does African leadership balance individual and collective success, and how might nonprofit teams benefit from seeking the same balance? In this NGO Soul+Strategy...

Summary Is it that people resist change? That they fear change? Or rather that people fear loss? As a change management consultant, what is the most difficult or frustrating while supporting clients with change management efforts? What is one word most alive right now in the world of change management support? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Michael Randel , Founder of Rande...

Summary What does it Busara's tagline mean: 'transformational leadership, from the inside out'? To what extent are there truly different global south-normed leadership models? Does personality still play an important role as well, in addition to national or regional cultural differences in leadership approaches? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Taaka Awori , Fo...

Summary How should INGOs discern what roles are still relevant, legitimate, and needed, at this moment in civil society history?­­  And which roles they therefore  should *stop* playing? Is there more here, over and beyond stopping service delivery? (Which on its own is quite the shift) In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Dylan Mathews , Chief Executive Officer at Peace Direct ....

Summary Conflict management and mediation are skills that come up frequently as a weak area in many of our social sector organizations. And these days, more than ever conflict is on the rise within our organizations. So how can we work through our conflicts more skillfully and effectively? Nathalie has answers for us. She's a trainer conflict mediator (as well as a Corentus, Inc. team coach)...

Summary What constitutes a culture of philanthropy within nonprofits and NGOs? It's a term easily bandied around, but how do I see when it's in place? How has the field of direct giving by small donors, and monthly giving as one donor practice in particular changed in the last 10-20 years? Are there hurdles to be overcome in persuading donors to adopt monthly giving?  Finally, there is a...

Summary What does the name Taimaka mean? To what extent are there challenges, as an organization, when you aim for evidence-based decision-making? What kind of culture is needed to truly live the aspiration of being evidence-based? In this NGO Soul+Strategy podcast episode, I interview Dr. Umar Abubakar and Justin Graham , co-founders and co-directors of The Taimaka Project -- an NGO working in Go...

Summary Quite a few smaller size social sector organizations assume that program evaluation is too complex or demanding an undertaking for them. Is that the case, though? If we want to introduce program evaluation to staff, leadership, and boards who have not yet been inducted into the importance of program evaluation: what are the most effective questions to generate genuine interest in and motiv...

Summary What are the main benefits of a network structure , where power, authority, and leadership are dispersed and shared across regions, from an effectiveness perspective?  What are the most important enabling habits, practices and behaviors that go with that, as a change leader? And what are the most valuable network-related frameworks, concepts, resources, and tools at work in moving towards...

Summary Conflict within our organizations: we often don't really want to face them, but they are very much there. The result? Plenty of passive aggression to go around.  What are the implications of such forms of conflict avoidance? In other NGOs on the other hand -- especially in the last few years it seems -- internal strife has come out into the open - sometimes spilling into the media in...