Our Journey
Reflections, ideas, and thoughts
Lived Experience and the Importance of the Heart
Our culture requires us to sever and imprison our heart, cutting us off from vital sources of experience and learning…
What I don't know about inclusion
The more I have experienced exclusion as a disabled person the more I see the limits of my understanding of how to include others…
The Real Cost Of A Stiff Upper Lip
I find it strange and uncomfortable to be writing those words…
Learning About Learning
Something strange came out of the recent ‘Learning about learning’ event…
How has ‘learning about learning’ changed me?
I am still trying to make sense of what I've been part of for the last two days. It feels profound in ways I don't yet understand...
But you didn’t get the job!?
What it was like to be part of our recruitment experiment and not get the job.
Hiring Lara (5) - A White shirt makes an excellent comms lead
Magic happens when you build trust as part of the hiring process.. even if your applicants have some weird hang ups…
Hiring Lara (3) - Listening for Stars in Meaningless Words
Even pantomime villains get a chance to submit good work when the application process has been deeply considered…
Hiring Lara (2) - The First Quest
In which we gleefully burn down the ‘hiring scripture’ and then have a little cry about losing the comfort of certainty in the ashes of the unknown…
Hiring Lara (1) - Unexpected Adverts
This is the story of how a video game helped to get me a job. It’s a story about Vikings, pyjamas, and fear - and it starts at 3.45pm on a Thursday…
Leadership, inclusion, and consent - or why we need leadership to change radically
For genuine transformation to happen, someone has to be the first to take that precarious and vulnerable leap into the unknown.
Lightening the Burden of Fear
At some point in our lives, we all face fear. It is the feeling that makes us want to run, to hide, to stop, to not try, to give up…
VCSE orgs - let’s start Going Green Together!
VCSE organisations have a unique opportunity to tackle the climate crisis and contribute to systemic change.
Healthy Systems: Strong Relationships, Strong Foundations
When I look at the world, I generally see it in two ways (usually at the same time). On the one hand, whilst I don't like to admit my...
Deprogramming Dexter
Or 'from weirdo to professional and back again' In school I was seen as ‘Stu the weirdo’. Long hair, earrings, flamboyant clothes...
Why I'm excited to join the CIA
I’m coming to work with the Collective Impact Agency (CIA) next month, and I can’t wait, but it’s an unusual excitement. Usually, when...
Tackling Male Entitlement, One Conversation At A Time
It was half 10 on a Wednesday night when I picked up my phone, crying, to message my friends. The news had just broken about...
The Trouble With Having Values
Hands up, who works for, or has worked for, an organisation that has organisational values? Like mission statements and vision...
Sanctuary for the Troublemakers
I joined the Collective Impact Agency (CIA) back in April of this year. As I look back over my first quarter here I’d love to share some...
How Organisations Can Learn To Learn
Recently, I delivered a talk called ‘The roles of learning and emotions in systems change’...