Charities will always have more great ideas than there are resources
Paul Breckell, CEO, Action on Hearing Loss says it is not just things that can be easily counted that count. A mix of numbers and stories is essential.
What are your tips for leadership success?
Get excellent people around you; no one person is as clever as we all are together.
Do you review your services for effectiveness, if so, how often and what methods are used?
Constantly and with a range of methods. Some are very formal and standardised looking at the economic cost or benefit of particular services, other are reliant on a mix of key performance indicators and service user feedback. A mix of numbers and stories is essential, it is not just things that can be easily counted that count.
Is fundraising the biggest issue?
No, meeting the needs of the people we are here to work with and for is always the biggest issue. Fundraising is important though, we get to do what we do because of people volunteering their money and their time and we should never take the generosity of the public for granted in the way that we fundraise.
What mistakes are made by charities that could easily be rectified?
Sometimes the desire to make resources go as far as possible mean that charities either under invest in projects or try and spread themselves too thinly. It is important to be rigorous and tough in setting priorities, in the best charities there will always be more great ideas than there are resources.
Which matters most? A good brand, creating impact with your charities work or ethics?
They go together. Do impactful work in an ethically sound way and the good brand will follow.
Who are your role models?
People who speak truth to power, whatever the odds. Martin Luther King Jnr is a particular hero.
What charity CEO’s do you admire?
Many people for different things – the strategic focus of Mike Adamson at British Red Cross, the passion for people of Jan Tregelles at Mencap and the boundless enthusiasm of Richard Hawkes at the British Asian Trust are three that spring to mind.
www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk
Citywealth top ten charity CEO’s 2016
Chosen for their gravitas, impact, leadership, fiscal competence, brand and ethics.
Paul Breckell, CEO, Action on Hearing Loss
Henny Braund, CEO, Anthony Nolan
Claire Horton, CEO, Battersea Cats and Dogs
Gillian Guy, CEO, Citizens’ Advice
Rob Williamson, CEO, Community Foundation, Tyne and Wear
Debra Allcock Tyler, CEO, DSC -Directory of Social Change
Petra Ingram, CEO, The Brooke
Robert Robson, CEO, The Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity
Simon Hopkins, CEO, Turn2us
David Nussbaum, CEO, WWF UK
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Paul Farmer, CEO, Mind