12 year wedding anniversary today. I’m constantly baffled how I get to hang out with the best human ever. I’m so lucky.

The more you connect with people outside of your org, your discipline, and your sector, the better at your job you'll be. Siloed thinking isn't just about your organisation.

Sometimes, unpicking organisational values, reveals organisational ego. And we really need to get rid of that.

Just created my own imaginary charity. I filled every post with the people I admire most in the real world in each specialism. Wish it really existed. It would absolutely rock.

If you are a charity, collaboration has to be a central pillar of your strategy. You can’t drive system change on your own.

Imagine if we all put cause before org. Imagine if collaboration was the default. Imagine how much we'd get done.

I'm getting so many requests to run sessions with staff, vols and trustees to sell in strategy after its been created by SLT. It makes me sad. Co-creation is how we win, not boardroom logic.

Obama laid down the most elegant knob gag in his takedown of Trump and I am 100% here for it. Also, “The 78 year old billionaire has done nothing but whine about his own problems since he came down in his golden lift 9 years ago”, is absolute fire.

So this little legend is coming to live with us in a few weeks. All the way from Cyprus. Say a big hello to Snoop Dogg.

Happy Friday. August is the perfect opportunity for plotting and scheming new stuff to kick off in Sept. Exciting stuff ahead. Cheers! X

“And a big hello to all you truckers out there…”

Psst. Strategy away days rarely work. There’s too high expectations, they’re often rushed and haven’t had enough preliminary work. A strategy day is normally better when it’s to finesse and agree work already done. Not to decide everything with sticky dots and post-it’s.

Happy Friday. Big love to all parents and carers for scraping through the summer hols. I’m sure all my hair will now grow back and I’ll remember how strategy works again soon. Cheers! X

Hey! Have you got back from holiday and now have an unrealistic timeline to create a transformational strategy? I can help. Get in contact for a natter. It’ll be fun!

Sometimes you don’t have to explain the magic your charity does. You just need to show it.

Trying to let this giant know that we have a dog moving in next week and he’s not allowed to eat it.

The fastest growing bit of my business is mentoring, and I love it. Do you need a critical friend? Someone to help unpick knotty issues? Or someone to sense check stuff as you try to push your charity forward? Let’s have a chat. It could be joyful.

One of the key determinants of success for charities going forward is going to be relevance. Those that have the voice of lived experience at the heart of their strategies are the ones that will really succeed.

Just listened to a charity podcast where the target audience was definitely just the presenters. As well as being annoying, these public power plays can also be quite damaging. Hyping yourself up so much can belittle others. Back slapping can make others feel excluded.

Today is the last day of working from home before the arrival of our puppy. Please wish me luck for the stability of the rest of my career starting next week.