Category: Volante

Rethinking Growth, Right-Sizing, and What Success Really Means Dear Reader We talk about growth a lot in the social sector. Revenue growth.Team growth.Geographic expansion.New funding secured. And it is easy to equate growth with success, because in many ways it feels like proof. Proof that the work matters. Proof that funders believe in you. Proof…

Delegation only works where trust exists Why frameworks help, but courage and trust do the heavy lifting Dear Reader In my last note, I wrote about clarity over consensus and the courage it takes to make the call. The next challenge leaders face is often – How do you create space for that clarity without…

Leadership is not about keeping the peace Why clarity and courage matter more than consensus Dear Reader When I first led a strategic planning process, I thought leadership meant bringing everyone along. Ensuring all voices were heard. Maintaining alignment and comfort. After the process ended, the project lead and I reflected and realised something important.…

Starting the year with focus, rest, and honesty Three leadership reflections from the CEO seat and what changed when I stepped out of it Dear Reader The start of a new year often comes with quiet pressure to act quickly. New plans. New targets. A sense that momentum matters more than reflection. Before accelerating, I…

Looking Back, Moving Forward This image takes me back to my February diving trip in Raja Ampat – part of the intentional reset I needed before building Volante. A small, seasonally adjusted reminder of where this year began! A year of building, learning, and amplifying impact through others – thank you for being on the…

A Front Row Seat to Leadership in Motion Six months in, clear patterns are emerging — bold ambition, stretched systems, quiet fatigue, and the ongoing search for clarity. When I set up Volante, I hoped to support leaders at moments that truly matter.Six months in, that’s exactly what I’ve been doing and it’s been energising,…

What Defines a Leader? Leadership isn’t about title or hierarchy. It’s about mindset, influence and creating movement. I’ve been asked a few times for my top tips as a leader. I always start with the same reflection: my own definition of leadership continues to evolve. Even after years in senior roles, I am still learning…

The Real Cost of Scale Why affordability, not ambition, determines lasting impact This week marks the final part of my short series on The Hard Truths of scale. Part 1 was about letting go of our model. Part 2 was about realising scaling isn’t always where you start. This last one is about cost -…

When Staying Would Have Been Easier, but Wrong This post continues my short series on what it really takes to scale for impact.Part 1 was about falling out of love with our model – learning that real scale means prioritising the problem over the solution.This one is about another hard truth: scaling isn’t always where…

Falling Out of Love with Our Model The hardest leadership shift I’ve ever made – from perfecting our solution to pursuing real scale. Our model worked.It was proven, cost-effective, and saving lives.We had the data. We had the stories.So why change anything? Because no matter how good it was, it would never reach enough people.…