In December 2020, I stepped down from my role as CEO of
ActionAid UK to join STiR Education UK as its CEO. It raised some eyebrows
amongst my peers and friends. ActionAid UK was a much larger organisation with
an annual turnover of £ 50 million, a staff of about 200 and supporting other
ActionAid members in about 35 countries in the global south. It had a 48-year
old track record in the UK and was a relatively well known organisation in
international development. STiR, by contrast, had a turnover of under £ 3
million, had 70 staff globally and worked in 2 countries. While it was well
known in the education sector, it was less known within the broader international
development sector. But, it was a conscious decision, and after 3 full years, I
have no regrets. In fact, I have found it an immensely fulfilling and rewarding
3 years.
As I approached the 5-year mark with ActionAid UK, I had
started considering what my next move could be. The Board had identified two
key priorities when I started in August 2015 : create a strong identity and
ensure financial sustainability. At the end of 5 years, thanks to the work done
by the amazing team at that time, we had made significant progress. And even
though there were some unresolved challenges, I was also clear that there was
never a perfectly good time to move on. Having created its identity as a leader
on the rights of women and girls, I was very clear that the next CEO for
ActionAid UK should be a woman, with deep knowledge, experience and commitment
to rights of women and girls.
So what attracted me to STiR ? At the time I started
exploring, I was not interested to do ‘more of the same’ and move to another
organisation that is similar in size and scope. I was looking at something
radically different that would take me outside my comfort zone and offer me an
enriching experience, challenge and learning. I had ruled out the national
charity sector given that I did not have a sufficiently good understanding of
the sector. Within international development, there were some sectors (like
health) that I was less keen on. Education has always been a passion for me.
STiR’s approach of working in ‘systems-led partnership’ to improve learning
outcomes for children (i.e. working on the ‘supply side’ of systems, which is
very different from the ‘demand side’ accountability work that I was more
familiar with) was a very attractive proposition. While it was a small
organisation, it was ambitious and creative. I could see the power and
potential of small investments, that could led to significant change and transformation
in education, which can be sustained by governments. It was a bold approach to
change.
I did speak to a few of my trusted friends and peers on the
prudence of this move. Some were unsure, some were indifferent, some mildly
discouraging too and not quite sure why I would ever consider that move. It was
very clear that it had to be a decision that I fully bought into. The one person
who absolutely encouraged me to go for it was Richard Hawkes, CEO of the
British Asian Trust, who had made the big move from large organisations like
VSO and Scope, to lead the British Asian Trust at a time when it was relatively
unknown (it is a much bigger and better known organisation now, thanks to his
amazing leadership !). He said that he had never looked back and described the
joys (and challenges) of working in tight and resource stretched environments
that could be very stimulating when compared to the complexities and chaos of
large organisations with the perennial internal dynamics, even if one had the
comfort of a known brand, sound financial reserves and the support
paraphernalia.
I now see why Richard was so convinced. Looking back at the
past 3 years, there are a number of personal reflections :
1. Working in a small organisation, especially when making a
shift from a much larger organisation puts one outside one’s comfort zone. And
even if you are not adept at multi-tasking, you do end up doing a number of
tasks that you thought you were never good at or would never do in a larger
organisation. I felt that a number of times, and especially when it came to
fundraising. Previously, I was just wheeled in to a discussion to help with building
and managing relationships, but in this case, I often found myself engaging at
a very early stage, or even scouting for new donors and opportunities. It was
similar when it came to the policy arena, be it making the connections,
engaging in conversations, trying to influence policy. Unlike large
organisations, there are not teams to do this for you – instead, you do it
yourself with the support of a couple of colleagues, when you can, as they too
are overstretched and need to focus on other priorities.
2. I miss the vibrance of a large organisation even with its
complexities and chaos. Something or the other is always happening, triggered
by internal team or individual dynamics, or external developments that push you
to taking public positions. However, in a smaller organisation, I feel a greater
sense of focus and purpose. We have a clear set of priorities. I feel that I am
able to contribute in more meaningful ways. And that means that at the end of
the day, I also feel very purposeful and productive as I am not dictated by the
dynamics I have little control over. There is also a much greater flexibility
and responsiveness in a smaller organisation and one can move with pace. The
limited resources we have also means that we do not have the luxury of time and
going into endless deliberations and consultations. Change therefore happens
much faster.
3. There is a stronger sense of being more mission and
values oriented. In a smaller organisation, it is easier to connect which makes
that possible. Even though I am based in London and we work across 4 countries,
I feel I am able to reach the various corners of the organisation with ease.
The gap between senior leaders and other colleagues is much less, even if we
are dispersed across 5 countries. Communications are easier and quicker. The
sense of entitlement is much less as colleagues feel more connected with the
mission. It is easier to create an inclusive culture and a trusting
environment. Collaboration between different functions and geographies are
easier to forge. The overall impact of these is that the organisation is more
coherent in its approach and yet able to relate to its local contexts.
This is not to say that all is well with small
organisations. As I mentioned, resources are very limited. As organisations
with very low communications and PR budgets, it is difficult to create a strong
external profile and fundraise. Unrestricted income is extremely difficult to
raise. A number of donors can be a lot more demanding on smaller organisations
when it comes to questions of evidence (as compared to larger organisations,
whose brand reputation provides them with the tailwinds). There is often a
‘credibility deficit’ when it comes to smaller organisations and we need to
prove ourselves and our effectiveness every now and then.
At a personal level, I also realise that I do not have the
benefit of the organisation’s brand reputation that precedes me and help open
doors. That is a huge benefit for the CEO of a known organisation. It is
something one constantly needs to push and persevere. Yet, in terms of
fulfilment and being able to see how one contributes to the organisation’s
growth and success, it is a very rewarding experience in a smaller
organisation.
The risk was worth taking and I have thoroughly enjoyed my
stint here. It does not mean that I will be averse to considering a larger
organisation at some stage in future and if it offers an interesting challenge
that is beyond its size and scope. The large organisations have played a
significant role in building a case for support for international development
with the public and policy makers and have achieved tremendous impact in both,
humanitarian and development contexts. That said, smaller organisations working
on niche issues and sectors have also been significant contributors to social
change, punching way above their weight. Hence, if you are thinking of making
the move to a smaller organisation, do consider it very seriously and
positively !
