For years now, busy has been worn as a badge of honour, although recognition of the importance of nurturing our hauora, our wellbeing — both in and out of work — seems to be on the rise.

“I’ve had too much professional development”, said no one ever in the do-good sector. A common theme I hear is that your organisation lacks a dedicated professional development budget and aren’t investing in you. While this mentality definitely needs to change in the do-good sector, the good news is that today, if you want to develop […]

Is your work turning you into a jerk? Is 9-to-5-ing stopping you from thriving? Does your current career fill you with fear?  It’s normal to fantasise about ending a job sometimes, but there are options to consider before you hand in your notice.  I consider myself somewhat of an expert in quitting jobs. Over the years […]

Working for a not for profit can be immensely rewarding and life-enhancing, but it’s important to be honest about the challenges too. That said, here are 10 surprising skills that’ll help you thrive at a not for profit.  It’s not all solar power and organic roses. In the real world, not for profits often lack important resources […]

Ah, networking… some people make it look so easy! They flit from person to person at events, all charm and wit, making the bubbly sweeter and the conversations richer. But what about the rest of us? How can we network effectively, when we’re less social butterfly and more… uh… antisocial moth? After attending a few […]

You’ve started a new job. You were excited to start but the reality is just, well, meh. What do you do? Say you’re going for a coffee, then make a break for it? Call your girlfriend in tears from a bathroom cubicle? Let’s have a look at your options. Give it a few weeks then […]

For some, setting goals is a piece of (organic, vegan) cake. But what if you don’t know what you want? If you’re having problems identifying your goals, Liz has five tried-and-true techniques for you: Outwardly, 2013 looked like a solid year. I was working for an awesome social enterprise, I was in a relationship with […]

We’ve all heard of 5 Year Plans, but how many people actually have one? If you’re looking for inspiration to set long-term goals, we have just the thing. Create a 70 Year Plan with Simon Jarvis and work towards sustainable fulfilment.  5 Year Plan? Pah!  Experience has shown I’m more likely to book a trip […]

Our digital devices are so dominant in our lives. We endlessly scan social media sites, constantly check emails, obsessively text and message – and in the process haul around serious digital baggage that wreaks havoc on our minds and bodies. There’s a pretty good way to tell whether taking the opportunity in the upcoming break […]

One in five New Zealanders will experience mental illness this year.   That means that right now, you or someone in your workplace is likely to be affected. People drawn to purposeful work at not for profits are usually interested in contributing to a cause they believe in and are willing to invest in making […]

How to cope with a new boss Your boss has left, and a new one is on the way. You might be grieving the loss of your old boss, or be grateful that the new ‘relationship’ brings new opportunities for you in the workplace. Naturally there’s nervousness, expectation, hope and possibly resentment….along with a host […]

So, you’ve got the job. You obviously made a great first impression on the people interviewing you, but how do you make a good impression when you turn up for day one at your new job? We asked two HR experts, Lucy Boomer,  the People and Culture Advisor for Greenpeace New Zealand, and Becca Harvey, the People […]

Guest post: James McCulloch, Director of Leadership at Inspire Group — Over the past 16 years, Inspire Group has provided learning and leadership development solutions for 1000’s of leaders across New Zealand and Australia. Through this, and our own extensive international leadership journeys in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, the Inspire team knows what great […]

There are a lot of great things about working less than 30 hours a week, as more than half a million part-time workers in New Zealand would tell you. After nearly a year as a full-time, first-time mum, it allowed me to transition back into the workforce gently, and now allows me to balance my […]

This week we have a guest Q&A with Erin Polazcuk, National Secretary at The New Zealand Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (the PSA), the largest trade union in New Zealand with over 63,000 members. — What is PSA all about? PSA represents everyone from physiotherapists to DOC rangers; scientists to parliamentary cleaners; […]

Tips on taking care of yourself Doing good can be a tough job sometimes – so if you’re going to avoid burning out, you’ll need to take care of yourself. You might be supporting young people with addictions, former refugees with post-traumatic stress disorder, rehabilitating neglected animals, lobbying for urgent action on poverty or climate […]

Ever wondered which tools super-productive and uber-organised people use to get things done? I am lucky to be surrounded by tech start-ups in the shared office space I work in at the Bizdojo where words like Slack, Trello boards and Zaps get bandied around.  I asked a few charity friends (Pat and Reuben from the […]

Juggling workloads in not-for-profits can often feel overwhelming. We care passionately about the larger vision our work contributes to and it is very easy to overextend yourself. You know…skipping lunch breaks, working overtime, taking work home to lighten the load the next day. We’ve all done it.  Life in non-profit world is busy. Many organisations […]

“The great thing about reading is that it broadens your life” –  George R.R. Martin (Author, Game of Thrones). While Game of Thrones might have added some colour (and gore) to my life, there are a whole load more books which have broadened my not for profit career.   Here is a compilation I’ve put […]

And now, 7 good bits about working for not-for-profits