Little did I know that a seemingly simple email was about to change my perspective in a big way. It was from Pilotlight. Thanking their ‘Pilotlighters’, both past and present, for their contribution to the skills-based volunteering programmes they run in partnership with Barclays. And whilst reading it, the thought struck me that I actually had a lot to thank Pilotlight for.
Something I hear frequently from charity leaders, especially founders, is ‘We can’t say no to someone who needs help!
'It's lonely at the top' is a phrase we often hear.
Pilotlight’s PMs are skilled facilitators, cultural translators and experts in charity governance and strategic planning. They create the space in which trust relationships can grow and set the tone for open, honest and respectful communication.
In my current role at Pilotlight, I have the pleasure to work with impact-driven leaders every day, tirelessly doing their bit to tackle society’s biggest challenges. I am proud that 75% of my project portfolio is organisations led by women.
When I think of women in leadership roles, I tend to think of Jacina Ardern (Prime Minister of New Zealand) or Michelle Obama (Former First Lady) and the lessons they’ve modelled to the world; kindness, tenacity, assertiveness.
I joined Comic Relief almost two years ago now, at a moment of great change, joining during the pandemic. It was a great personal change. I'd worked at this other agency for a long time, was quite comfortable and then decided to jump in and work on this side of the fence.
My first leadership experience was when I was quite young. Soon after leaving university, I found myself leading a small grassroots project in South Africa providing training to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS. I knew very little about running a project, and equally little about leadership. I had the job title of a leader and people to be led but really, I didn’t know what to do.
The shift to new patterns of work coming out of the pandemic is helping to spur a new generation of progressive employment practices. In time, I believe, these will come to define the workplace of the future.
Pilotlight is delighted to announce that, for the second consecutive year, we have 10 driven and ambitious Pilotlighters joining our community via
In July, Andrea Sinclair was named as Angel Investor of the Year by the UK Business Angels Association. As one of the organisations that has benefited from her creative entrepreneurialism, we are delighted to send our congratulations.
At seven years old I was a tree-climbing, dress-hating, future astronaut. Aged 17 not much had changed. From an early age, both of my parents encouraged me to strive for whatever I wanted to be, whatever I wanted to do. It was well into my adolescence before I even stopped to consider that being a girl – or more accurately not being a boy - might be a barrier in my future.