Podcast
The Modern Humanitarian and International Development Leader: Make a Greater Impact During Uncertainty as a NGO Leader While Avoiding Stress, Burnout and Overwhelm
Hosted by Aid for Aid Workers · EN
Are you a humanitarian or international development leader who wants to make a greater impact — without the overwhelm and burnout?
This podcast is for NGO, INGO and UN leaders who want to build high-performing, empowered teams in uncertain and stressful environments — while protecting their time, energy, and wellbeing.
Each week, you’ll learn practical, coaching-informed strategies to help you:
- Lead with more clarity and confidence
- Empower diverse teams to perform at their best
- Reduce overwork and decision fatigue
- Increase productivity without sacrificing your values
- Meet the evolving demands of the modern humanitarian and development sector
I’m your host, Torrey Peace — leadership coach and founder of Aid for Aid Workers. With 12+ years working in humanitarian and development settings and coaching hundreds of leaders across the UN, INGOs, and civil society globally, I’ve seen firsthand how overwork and overwhelm have become normalized — and how unnecessary they truly are.
The good news? There is a different way to lead.
Join me every Monday for short, practical insights that help you step out of overwhelm and start leading with greater impact, sustainability, and purpose.
👉 New here? Start with listener-favorite: A Surprising Way to Ensure Team Success: https://www.aidforaidworkers.com/blog/success-7
37episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
VIP: From Busy to Impactful: The First Step to Modern Humanitarian Leadership as a NGO Supervisor
1w ago00:11:26Tap to summarizeHave you ever reached the end of a work week feeling completely drained — yet unsure if anything you did truly made an impact?If you’ve been working harder than ever but still feel like you’re not growing as the kind of leader you aspire to be, you’re not alone. Many humanitarian and development leaders struggle with being busy but not productive — constantly reacting to others’ agendas instead of intentionally creating lasting impact. This episode dives into why that happens and what you can do to break the cycle.In this episode, you’ll discover:The hidden signs that you’re lacking clarity — and how they keep you stuck in burnout and frustration.How clarity can energize you and your team to focus on what truly matters and make meaningful progress.A real-life story of how one leader’s clarity transformed an entire team’s culture and engagement.Press play now to learn how gaining clarity can help you lead with focus, motivation, and purpose — and finally start creating the impact you’ve always envisioned.WATCH ON YOUTUBE HEREWhat Is Your Leadership Style? Free Quiz:Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian NGO UN leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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VIP: How to Create the Change You Want as a NGO Leader
2w ago00:21:25Tap to summarizeAre you unknowingly giving up control over your career, leadership, and well-being? This episode reveals how NGO leaders often underestimate their influence—and what you can do about it today.In this episode you'll discover:The three most common ways NGO leaders give up their power—and how to stop doing so.How to rethink career progression and create opportunities beyond the ‘traditional’ path.Practical steps to take control of your work culture, team leadership, and personal well-being.Don’t allow assumptions to block your ability to create change—start shaping the NGO career and leadership style you want today.Tune in now to learn how to take back your influence and create meaningful change!What Is Your Leadership Style? Free Quiz:Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian NGO UN leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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Pressure Reveals Your Values: Staying True to What Matters When Things Get Hard
3w ago00:29:17Tap to summarizeWhat happens to your leadership when the pressure is on?Most organizations have values written on their websites. But according to today's guest, our real values are revealed not when things are easy—but when uncertainty, competing priorities, and difficult decisions force us to choose how we will respond.In this episode, I speak with Kim Kucinskas, Director of the TIME Transformation Lab at Humentum, about what it means to lead with integrity during a time of unprecedented change in the humanitarian and development sector.Together, we explore why many traditional leadership approaches are becoming less effective, how uncertainty is changing the skills leaders need, and how values can serve as a practical guide when there are no perfect answers.Whether you are leading a team through funding cuts, organizational change, or simply trying to navigate an increasingly complex world, this conversation offers practical insights on how to stay grounded in what matters most.In This Episode, You'll Learn:• Why values are more than words—and how they show up through daily behaviors• What "pressure reveals values" really means for leaders• Why self-awareness is essential for values-based leadership• How uncertainty is reshaping leadership in the humanitarian and development sector• The difference between leadership skills that worked in stable environments and those needed today• How to make decisions with integrity when there is no clear right answer• Why courage is required to lead change, even when others around you are not• How values audits can help organizations bring their values to life• Practical ways to strengthen collaboration during times of scarcity and competition• The powerful concept of "elbows down, not elbows out"• Why the future is built through the small choices leaders make every dayMemorable Quotes:"Values are the fancy words on the website. Behaviors are where values show up in everyday life.""Pressure doesn't create values—it reveals them.""We often seek moral clarity. What if instead we focused on making decisions with integrity, even when they aren't perfect?""Leadership today requires us to bridge and build at the same time.""We can't control uncertainty, but we can control how we show up within it."About Kim KucinskasKim Kucinskas is Director of the TIME Transformation Lab at Humentum, where she works with organizations, networks, and leaders to navigate complex change and build more equitable, resilient, and future-ready systems. Through the Transformation Lab, Kim helps organizations make sense of uncertainty, strengthen collaboration, and develop practical approaches for leading through transition and transformation.Resources Mentioned:• Humentum Living Our Values Guide• TIME Transformation Lab• Kim's LinkedinKim's Podcast: The Sector DebriefHumentum Course in Collaboration with Torrey: Leading NGO Teams Through UncertaintyWatch on YouTube Here
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Are You Being Curious or Judgmental? How to Know the Difference
4w ago00:05:57Tap to summarizeAs leaders, we're often encouraged to be more curious.Ask better questions. Make fewer assumptions. Seek to understand before being understood.But can curiosity ever go too far?In this episode, Torrey explores a question raised by one of her students: When does curiosity cross the line into getting into other people's business?Drawing on her coaching and leadership experience, she unpacks the important distinction between genuine curiosity and the type of questioning that is driven by assumptions, judgment, or a desire to confirm what we already believe.You'll learn why curiosity is one of the most powerful leadership skills—and how to ensure it builds trust rather than fueling gossip, rumors, and misunderstanding.In This Episode You'll Learn:Why curiosity is essential for effective leadershipThe difference between seeking understanding and seeking confirmationHow assumptions can disguise themselves as curiosityWhy healthy curiosity respects boundariesA simple question to ask yourself before asking someone else a questionKey Quote"Curiosity seeks understanding. Toxic curiosity seeks confirmation."Reflection QuestionsWhat assumptions might I be making about the people around me?Am I asking questions to understand—or to confirm what I already believe?Where might I need to be more curious in my leadership conversations?How can I respect others' boundaries while remaining genuinely interested in understanding them?Resources MentionedLearn more about Torrey's leadership programs and resources:www.aidforaidworkers.comFind on YouTube HereTake the Leadership Style Quiz:www.aidforaidworkers.com/quizEnjoyed the Episode?If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a colleague or fellow leader and leave a review. It helps more humanitarian and development leaders discover the podcast and build healthier, more empowering leadership practices.
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VIP: How To Know If You're Truly a Successful Leader as a Humanitarian and International Development Supervisor
Jun 800:24:33Tap to summarizeWhat really makes someone a successful leader—and how might the popular definition of a "successful leader" be wrong?If you're in the NGO sector, you may have unknowingly adopted a definition of leadership rooted in power, prestige, or control. In this episode, we’ll challenge that idea and explore a more inspiring, sustainable version of success—one that benefits both you and your team.In this episode you'll discover:4 overlooked signs of true leadership success (hint: none involve titles or salaries)Why your team’s ability to operate without you is your greatest leadership testFind out how believing in others before they believe in themselves can spark powerful transformationsPress play to redefine what it means to be a successful leader and walk away with practical tools to grow your team and yourself.Becoming the Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader course is open for registration!!! Learn more or register by clicking here.What Is Your Leadership Style? Free Quiz:Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian NGO UN leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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3 Strategies Productive NGO Leaders Use to Beat Stress & Get More Done
Jun 100:07:54Tap to summarizeDo you ever reach the end of the week wondering where all your time went—even though you never stopped working?Many humanitarian, development, and nonprofit leaders feel frustrated because they’re constantly busy but rarely feel productive. Between emails, meetings, urgent requests, team issues, and donor demands, it’s easy to spend your entire week reacting instead of making meaningful progress. In this episode, Torrey reveals why productivity isn’t about working harder—it’s about asking better questions that help you focus on what truly matters.Here's what you'll learn:Discover three powerful questions that can immediately improve your productivity and help you accomplish more in less time.Learn how to eliminate, automate, and delegate tasks so you can free up valuable hours every week.Shift your mindset from focusing on what’s unfinished to recognizing the progress you’ve already made, increasing both motivation and effectiveness.Listen now to learn the three simple questions that can help you work smarter, feel more productive, and lead with less stress.Watch on YouTube HereWHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE?Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.This podcast empowers NGO, nonptofit, international development and humanitarian leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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The Perfectionism Problem: Why 'Good Enough' Outperforms Perfect
May 2500:08:30Tap to summarizeAre you spending hours trying to make your work perfect only to feel more stressed, overwhelmed, and behind?Many humanitarian and nonprofit leaders believe perfection equals professionalism and impact. But in reality, perfectionism often creates anxiety, procrastination, burnout, and wasted energy while slowing down the meaningful work that truly matters.In this episode you'll:Learn the difference between producing quality work and falling into the perfectionism trapDiscover the three biggest signs your work has crossed from productive into perfectionisticFind practical strategies to reduce stress, stop overthinking, and create sustainable impact without sacrificing standardsPress play to learn how to let go of perfectionism, protect your energy, and produce impactful work more effectively as a leader.Watch on YouTube HereWHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE?Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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Your Team's Best Ideas Are Hiding Behind This Simple Question
May 1800:07:55Tap to summarizeWhat if the reason your team isn’t bringing better ideas isn’t a lack of creativity—but the way you’re leading conversations?Many leaders unintentionally shut down deeper thinking by jumping in too quickly with solutions. In this episode, Torrey explains why simple questions often create the most powerful breakthroughs and how one small shift in communication can help your team think more creatively, solve problems more effectively, and take greater ownership of their work.What you'll learn:Learn why the simple question “What else?” can unlock deeper creativity and problem-solving within your teamDiscover how silence and patience help people move beyond surface-level answers into innovative thinkingUnderstand how to create more ownership, confidence, and resourcefulness without constantly providing solutionsPress play to discover how one simple leadership question can transform your conversations, strengthen your team’s thinking, and unlock ideas that may already be waiting beneath the surface.Watch on YouTube HereWHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE?Want to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit. This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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The #1 Reason NGO Leaders Procrastinate (It’s Not What You Think)
May 1100:08:35Tap to summarizeAre you really procrastinating…or are your thoughts keeping you stuck?Many leaders assume procrastination is a discipline or time management problem, but the real issue often lies deeper in the way we think. In this episode, Torrey explores how perfectionism, fear of failure, and over-responsibility create hesitation that delays action, impacts teams, and keeps even high performers stuck in overthinking.In this episode you’ll discover:- Why procrastination is often driven by perfectionism and leadership thinking patterns rather than laziness- How to use AI as a self-coaching tool to uncover what’s really causing avoidance- Practical prompts and simple next steps to move from overthinking into action faster.Press play to learn how to break the cycle of procrastination, rethink the thoughts holding you back, and lead with more clarity and action starting today.Prompts to Use:“I am procrastinating on this: [task]. Ask me one question at a time to help me take action.”“Help me identify what I’m thinking that’s causing me to avoid this.”“Challenge my thinking if I’m being overly negative or unrealistic.”“Help me find the smallest next step I can take right now.”Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/24A41ptNH84WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE? QUIZWant to know how to lead better? It starts by understanding your leadership style. To find out yours, take my free quiz “What Is Your Leadership Style” - you’ll immediately find out your default style, how it may be impacting your team and a few practical ways to become an even better leader. Just click on the link fill out your quiz and click submit.This podcast empowers nonprofit, international development and humanitarian NGO, INGO, UN leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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3 Thoughts Keeping Nonprofit Leaders Stuck—And How to Change Them
May 400:09:10Tap to summarizeAre you an NGO leader feeling stuck—overthinking decisions, carrying too much responsibility, and wondering if your leadership is creating the impact you hoped for?Many leaders in the humanitarian and development world are promoted for their technical expertise, but rarely supported in developing the mindset shifts needed for sustainable, people-centered leadership. This often leads to burnout, disengaged teams, and leaders feeling trapped between driving results and protecting their own wellbeing. In this episode, Torrey shares the 3 common thoughts that keep NGO leaders stuck—and how to change them so you can lead with more clarity, confidence, and impact.By listening you’ll learn:The 3 common thought patterns that keep NGO leaders feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and disconnected from their leadership potentialHow people-centered leadership helps you lead stronger, more inclusive teams without sacrificing accountability or resultsPractical mindset shifts to help you step out of overwork and overwhelm so you can lead sustainably and protect your wellbeingPress play now to discover how shifting these 3 thoughts can help you become the leader your team needs—without burning yourself out.Watch on YouTube HereIf this episode helped you recognize the thoughts keeping you stuck as a leader, “Becoming the Modern Humanitarian and Development Leader" course will help you turn those insights into practical action.Designed specifically for humanitarian and development professionals, this course gives you the tools to lead with more confidence, clarity, and wellbeing—without falling into burnout. Visit here to learn more and start building the people-centered leadership skills your team needs.This podcast empowers international development and humanitarian NGO UN leaders to achieve high performance teams, fostering diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing, overcoming burnout and overwhelm, while maximizing impact and productivity.
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