The episode discusses the misconception of resilience in the charity sector and the importance of understanding resilience from a psychological perspective. It emphasizes the need for organizations to build a culture that supports well-being and resilience, rather than placing the responsibility solely on the staff.

Takeaways

• Resilience is not about working beyond one's limits, but about responding flexibly to challenges and recovering from acute stress.
• Building resilience is essential for the charity sector, and organizations need to prioritize well-being and resilience in their culture.

Chapters

• 00:00 Misconception of Resilience in the Charity Sector
• 02:23 Understanding Resilience from a Psychological Perspective
• 06:24 Building a Culture of Well-being and Resilience in Organizations

Resources and links

• Register for the free masterclass: https://www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/masterclass

•      Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

The podcast episode explores the impact of work on mental health and well-being in the charity sector, highlighting the risk of burnout and workaholism. It emphasizes the importance of nurturing a workplace culture that promotes well-being and supports staff in having a sustainable impact.

Takeaways

• Work in the charity sector can lead to burnout and workaholism due to the strong sense of purpose and identity associated with the work.
• Nurturing a workplace culture that promotes well-being is essential for supporting staff and ensuring the long-term impact of the charity.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Dark Side of Calling
• 01:25 The Impact on Mental Health
• 03:19 Creating a Culture of Well-being
• 04:43 Psychological Safety and Trust
• 05:40 Honest Communication and Respectful Debate
• 07:07 Connection and Collaboration
• 07:36 Emotional Literacy
• 08:26 Building a Culture of Learning
• 10:15 Cultivating a Positive Environment
• 11:46 Supporting Staff Well-being

Resources and links

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

The podcast episode explores the dark side of purpose-driven work in the charity sector, highlighting the occupational hazards of meaningful work and the importance of psychological flexibility in addressing burnout and well-being. It emphasizes the need for a culture change at both individual and organizational levels to support sustainable, impactful work in the sector.

Takeaways

• The dark side of purpose-driven work
• Occupational hazards of meaningful work

Chapters

• 00:00 The Dark Side of Purpose-Driven Work
• 03:19 Occupational Hazards of Meaningful Work
• 07:36 Psychological Flexibility

Resources and links

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

The podcast episode discusses the impact of work becoming one's whole identity and the importance of setting boundaries. It explores the reasons behind this phenomenon, the challenges it presents, and practical steps for change. The episode emphasizes the need to build a life alongside work and start living the 'one day' now.

Takeaways

• Work becoming your whole identity
• The importance of setting boundaries

Chapters

• 00:00 Work as Identity
• 02:26 The Blurry Boundaries
• 04:15 Reinforcement from the Sector
• 06:35 Practical Steps for Change
• 10:47 Building a Life Alongside Work

Resources and links

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

The conversation explores the burden of feeling responsible for protecting everyone and the impact of reactive leadership on the team and organization. It also delves into the steps needed to build a healthy culture within the organization.

Takeaways

• Leaders feeling the need to protect everyone
• Impact of reactive leadership on team and organization

Chapters

• 00:00 The Burden of Protection
• 03:13 The Impact of Reactive Leadership
• 08:31 Building a Healthy Culture

Resources and links

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

The episode explores the feeling of stuckness that individuals often experience in their work and how reflection can help break the cycle of reactive work. It emphasizes the importance of taking time for reflection and provides practical techniques for incorporating reflection into daily and weekly routines.

Takeaways

• Reflection is important for breaking the cycle of reactive work
• Starting small with reflection can lead to a natural rhythm of practice

Chapters

• 00:00 Understanding Stuckness
• 01:54 The Power of Reflection
• 04:14 Practical Reflection Techniques

Resources and links

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

The episode discusses the reasons why work can suddenly start feeling difficult and explores the concept of confidence in the workplace. It provides insights into the causes of self-doubt and offers practical strategies for building confidence and managing work-related challenges.

Takeaways

• Work-related challenges can lead to self-doubt and a feeling of being overwhelmed.
• Confidence is not fixed and can be developed through intentional practices and self-awareness.

Chapters

• 00:00 Understanding the Shift in Work Challenges
• 07:04 Defining Confidence and Its Development
• 09:26 Practical Strategies for Building Confidence
• 16:25 Overcoming Work-Related Challenges

Resources and links

Finding your strengths https://www.viacharacter.org/

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

About Alex Nunn

Alex is a psychologist with over 20 years of experience working in and with the charity sector. www.clearseacoaching.co.uk

Most charities don't set out to create a culture of self-sacrifice. But many have, gradually and unintentionally. In this episode, Alex explores how charity cultures ask too much of their people, why it happens, and what leaders can do to start changing it.

•       How a culture of purpose tips into a culture of self-sacrifice

•       Why the sector's greatest strength is also its greatest risk

•       How well-intentioned values create unintended expectations

•       How presenteeism is set from the top without leaders realising

•       Four steps to start building a healthier culture

Your charity's culture is either asking your people to live to work, or work to live. Changing it requires someone to name it, review the culture honestly, and decide to do things differently. That someone is you.

•       70% of charity leaders have become more concerned about employee burnout in the past year

•       66% say their concerns about recruitment and retention have got worse over the same period

•       1. Audit your culture: what do your values, language, and behaviour actually communicate to your team?

•       2. Actively challenge presenteeism: name overwork, model the change, ask if objectives are realistic

•       3. Invest in wellbeing that goes deeper than training: culture and skills must work together

•       4. Get every leader on board: culture change requires every manager to understand and model the shift

•       

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

Alex is a psychologist with over 20 years of experience working in and with the charity sector. www.clearseacoaching.co.uk

The loneliness of leadership in the charity sector is one of the most consistent things Alex hears from the leaders she works with. Not the obvious kind of loneliness, but the quiet kind that exists in the middle of a full diary and a team that depends on you. In this episode, Alex explores why it happens and what you can actually do about it.

•       Why charity leadership feels lonely even when you're surrounded by people

•       Why the board often don't quite get it, and what good support actually looks like

•       The fear of being seen not to know, and why leaders keep going rather than asking for help

•       Why peer support gets deprioritised, and the cost of that

•       Four practical steps to feel less alone

The loneliness of charity leadership is not inevitable. It is the product of a sector that has normalised a model of leadership that is unsustainable. That needs to change if we want a sector which has the kind of long-term impact we know it can.

•       1. Build connection inside the organisation, beyond the work

•       2. Invest in peer support outside the organisation, starting small and realistic

•       3. Get clear on what you need from your chair, and ask for it

•       4. Consider specialist support: coaching, supervision, or a combination

•       Book a free call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk

•       Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram

•       Weekly newsletter Live well, lead well: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk

Alex is a psychologist with over 20 years of experience working in and with the charity sector. www.clearseacoaching.co.uk

Have you ever wished you could love your job like you used to?

That you could find the motivation, the energy, the passion that brought you into this sector in the first place? And, have you found yourself wondering how to motivate your team when you’re struggling to motivate yourself? 

If any of that resonates, this episode is for you. Today we explore what going through the motions actually looks like, why it happens, and how to fall back in love with your work. 

Timestamps 

• 0:00 — Introduction 

• 0:30 — What going through the motions looks and feels like 

• 3:00 — Why this happens 

• 5:30 — What to do about it 

• 9:30 — Key takeaway and close 

Key takeaway 

Going through the motions isn’t a character flaw — and it isn’t permanent. It’s a signal. Something has shifted in the balance between what the work demands and what it gives back. And that balance can change — but only if you create the space to notice what’s happening and make some deliberate choices about what comes next. 

The five-point motivation scale 

A tool referenced in this episode that you can use as a self-diagnostic: 

• 1 — Won’t do: pure disengagement 

• 2 — Have to: compliance, fear, survival mode 

• 3 — Should do: self-regulated but driven by guilt and anxiety 

• 4 — Want to: intrinsic motivation, feels personal and connected 

• 5 — Love to: flow, full absorption, you’d almost do it for nothing 

Resources and links 

• Book a free discovery call: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk/lets-talk  

• Join the weekly newsletter ‘Live well, lead well’: www.clearseacoaching.co.uk 

• Connect on LinkedIn & Instagram 

About Alex Nunn 

Alex is a coaching psychologist specialising in helping senior charity leaders create sustainable, fulfilling careers. With 20 years of experience in the charity sector, Alex offers executive coaching, team coaching, and organisational consultancy.