Charity leadership can be incredible. There is nothing quite like working with purpose and being able to see the positive impact of your efforts. Yet, it is fraught with challenges.
This month marks five years since the world went into lockdown, and it feels like we have been on a rollercoaster ever since. Needs are rising and funding is shrinking, but you don’t need me to point out the obvious, you live it every day.
For many leading small organisations, this rollercoaster is taking its toll.
Fair Collective’s latest research, Breaking Point, The Mental Health Crisis in Small Organisation Leadership found that out of the 337 leaders surveyed, 85% felt that their experience as a small* organisation leader had negatively impacted their mental health. Leaders shared harrowing stories of suicidal thoughts, hospitalisation and burnout.
Having supported charity leaders for over 10 years, sadly, these findings didn’t come as a shock to us. We know that Leaders Together members have experienced these challenges. Have felt this isolation. The emotive nature of the work combined with the structural challenges of funding and governance can make for a very hostile environment in which to lead.
The report is a tough read even when you are acutely aware of the context and experiences of those in the sector. What hit hard for us was that 28% of those who had experienced negative mental health didn’t feel supported at all.
This needs to change. It should not be the case that those who dedicate their careers (and often their lives) to supporting others find themselves alone in their own time of need. This has galvanised us into action and we are even more determined to reach leaders who need support to thrive.
We were heartened to see the report highlight the value of connecting with peers as a means of support and a way to safeguard mental health and wellbeing. We have been in the business of creating opportunities for meaningful connection for charity leaders for over 10 years and see first-hand its impact on individuals and the organisations they lead.
Each month, we facilitate 6 Leadership Forums in England, enabling over 50 charity leaders to meaningfully connect. Experience shows us that peer connection helps combat leadership loneliness and isolation, increases capability by enabling leaders to tap into their own and others’ wisdom and unlocks confidence.
So, let’s dive in and explore how peer support and connection can really help charity leaders.
Combating loneliness and isolation
Sandwiched between the board and the staff team, it can be difficult to know where to turn. This is where connecting with peers can be a game-changer. When done well and clear contracting is in place you can feel safe to be yourself, to be supported without judgement and to really express where you need help.
“It’s great to be in a group where members can confidently share their challenges and receive non-judgmental input from others to address those challenges.”
Pauline Essah, Chief Impact Officer, Education Sub Saharan Africa.
There are a lot of ways to connect with peers, whether it be via informal catch-ups, WhatsApp or facilitated groups like our forums. It’s important to find what works for you.
Our forums use action learning principles to support leaders to express their challenges and get guidance. Whichever method you favour, the simple act of hearing that others have faced the same challenges or are grappling with them as you are, instantly builds connection. We find that it’s when the group offers up support and guidance, that the sense of loneliness really starts to breakdown.
Nicky Crabb, CEO from Little Green Pig, shares her thoughts, “The forum is a source of support, a sounding board in what can be a lonely role and has often given me the confidence to ask for something from the chair or the board”.
Increasing Capability
With the nature of the charity sector and limited resources, it’s likely that your day consists of you wearing many hats and tackling a huge variety of tasks. For many of our members, it’s not unusual for their day to consist of anything from toilet unblocking to strategy development.
Whilst the variety can keep work interesting, this constant need to turn your hand to new tasks or develop new skills can easily lead to a sense of overwhelm. Tapping into the power of your peers can really help to calm this feeling.
Fellow charity leaders are full of wisdom and can offer a source of knowledge and experience to help develop approaches and strategies to tackle the unfamiliar head-on. Our forums have covered everything from staff recruitment and retention through to managing tricky relationships with the board. Members might even be able to offer up the number of a great plumber!
Paul Grainge, CEO from Recoop shares his experience of peer support through our forums “It provides me with a safe space to explore challenges with the wisdom and experience my peers bring to the meetings. This subsequently allows me the bandwidth and additional resilience to make sounder decisions under pressure and continue the important learning I need to.”
Unlocking confidence
The beauty of peer connection is that it’s a two-way street. The act of supporting a fellow leader tackle a challenge enables reflection on your own experience and helps you dig into your own wisdom. You rediscover your capabilities, which in turn unlocks your confidence.
The challenges facing charity leaders are real, but you don’t have to face them alone. Go find your peers and start connecting, we promise you won’t regret it! Don’t wait until burnout—invest in your well-being and strengthen your leadership today.
Want some help to get connecting?
If you would like a hand with connecting, why not join Leaders Together. We offer an annual membership that has connection baked in. We offer Leadership Forums, Speaker Sessions, a Community Conference and Coaching to help you thrive. Find out more here.
About Leaders Together
Leaders Together is on a mission to help charity leaders thrive. We offer leadership development, connection and support.
We are proud to share that our members experience the following as a result of being part of our community.
- 82% of our leaders felt less lonely and isolated
- 72% said being a member had a positive impact on their mental health
- 82% said it helped them solve problems they face when leading their charity
- 82% said it increased their confidence as a leader
For £595 per year, you can access:
- Monthly Leadership Forums (online or in person) – problem solving with your peers
- Monthly Speaker Sessions – online learning opportunities to support your leadership development
- An Annual Community Conference
- 3 x Individual Coaching Sessions.
Visit www.leaderstogether.org or email Charlie.hayter@leaderstogether.org today to learn how you can connect with a supportive community of fellow leaders.
*Within this survey, ‘small’ referred to those organisations with an annual income of less than £1million (94% of contributors had an income of less that £1million).
