039. How NGO CEOs are thinking about operating model changes, right now: Christine Sow of Humentum

Summary

Christine Sow is the CEO of Humentum, a global support organization for NGOs who wish to enhance their operational performance. Humentum helps NGOs translate their aspirations into operating models that give them the ability to deliver on those aspirations.

In that capacity, and given that Humentum among others facilitates peer sharing among CEOs on lessons learned in improving operating models, she has the perfect perch to give us a sense of what types of change CEOs currently are considering. 

So what are some of Christine's overriding impressions from recent discussions in Humentum's 'CEO track'?

Where do CEOs lean in on the need for change? And where do they - as yet -- hold back?

Where does Christine see the biggest disconnects between what NGO members say they are about, and what their real in-use and practiced behaviors are?

In this episode, Christine and I discuss the outcomes of CEO discussions in 2021 and the first half of 2022, and her predictions on what may be future directions for changes in NGO operating models in the years to come. 

Christine’s Bio:

• President and CEO, Humentum
• Senior Director, Country Programs (Health), Palladium 
• Chief Operating Officer, Population Services International (July 2017 – Dec 2017)
• Executive Director, Global Health Council (Nov 2013 – July 2016)

We discuss: 

• How Humentum offers support in the areas of operational excellence capacity building to national and international NGOs alike
• The pandemic has been hard on CEOs; there has been  no playbook to rely on, and it has been very hard to connect with NGOs’ constituents directly – including  staff
• We as a sector cannot go back, and we need to watch out for any tendency to ‘snap back’; neither operationally, nor ethically, nor in terms of strategy;
• INGO pay scale systems are one of the elements that need to change, to get to greater equity, and NGOs also need to recruit from global pools, instead of pools that are limited to their country of founding
• They also need to learn how to better onboard staff, managers and leaders virtually
• In the context of decolonizing aid, the time for top-down, centralized decision making, including finances and in terms of budget controls, is over

Quotes

“ We cannot go back now, and we need to watch out for any tendency to ‘snap back’”

“I see CEOs shrink back from bigger change when it comes to seeking a better balance between showing commitment to their individual donors and supporting local organizations”

Resources:

Christine’s LinkedIn

Humentum’s offerings for its members and non-members

Christine’s Devex article on “How INGO CEOs are acting their way into the future” (Published on 22 Oct 2021)

Five Oaks Consulting School's Online course on Virtual Team Leadership skills

Youtube video of this podcast

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