Podcast: What makes a good leader?

Working in the Third Sector there are specific challenges which leaders – our senior managers and chief executives – face. Whether that's enacting change and keeping supporters, staff and trustees on board; or just striving to bring in the funds in a difficult economic climate.  

In this month's programme, we look at the qualities that make a successful leader in the charity and voluntary sector and what we should be doing to foster the leaders of the future.

Where do they come from? Do we grow them from within, or look to other sectors for inspiration? For Debra Allcock-Tyler, the chief executive of the Directory of Social Change, bringing in people from the private and public sectors is "absolute poop". She says "some of the most powerful and effective leadership behaviours happen in the voluntary sector". Do you agree?

We hear from a cross section of people working in the sector and discover who has inspired them through their working lives. Plus we discuss the issue of diversity amongst charity chief executives and ask: why are their so few BME leaders?

And as we turn another page of the calendar, Ian Bruce, the president and founder of the Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness gives us his review of the charity year and a look ahead to what 2011 will bring.

Do remember the Guardian's new voluntary sector network – a new online space where professionals working in and with the voluntary sector can discuss and debate the issues which affect their professional lives – and get advice and insight from peers and experts.

Programme Guests

Debra Allcock Tyler, chief executive of the Directory of Social Change
James Partridge, the founder and chief executive of Changing Faces
Caroline Beaumont, Clore Social Leadership fellow
Ian Bruce, president and founder of the Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness
Debbie Ariyo, founder and executive director of AFRUCA - Africans Unite Against Child Abuse.

Programme Links

dsc.org.uk
changingfaces.org.uk
cloresocialleadership.org.uk
cass.city.ac.uk/cce/
afruca.org
Acevo pay survey