‘Resilience isn’t built in calm, it’s rehearsed and proven in the storm.’
Jordan Ignatius, Managing Director, Reaching Higher
As part of our commitment to Learning and sharing, the Berkeley Foundation has launched a new series of sessions in our Building resilient organisations lunch & learn programme. The sessions are designed to bring our charity partners together to explore challenges, exchange ideas, and strengthen their organisations.
The first session focused on Leadership in times of change and challenge, a timely and powerful theme given the pressures many charity leaders continue to face.
Jordan Ignatius, Managing Director at Reaching Higher, one of our Year 2 Resilience Fund Partners, spoke about the importance of leading and communicating with clarity, looking after your people, and prioritising ruthlessly. Some of our key take-aways included:
- Resilience means finding rhythm; not eliminating chaos - Change, challenge and chaos are inevitable in leadership, but your steadiness sets the rhythm that everyone else follows.
- Put people first, then performance will follow - Check in regularly on the wellbeing of your team.
- Pause to listen - regularly schedule quiet reflection time to think beyond urgent tasks.
- Model calm transparency - admit unknowns but show confidence in the next steps.
- Stay outward facing - connect with peers, mentors, or sector networks to avoid tunnel vision.
- Peer connection is hugely important – not just as a source of insight, but as a lifeline for leaders working to build resilient, adaptive organisations.
“Jordan was excellent! He was first class in his delivery and sharing of his working practice. I have attended many Leadership sessions over the last 22 years and this one is a stand-out!”
Delegate feedback
At the Berkeley Foundation, we believe that learning is most impactful when it’s collaborative. That’s why we’re committed to creating spaces where our partners can connect, reflect and share best practice; not only with each other, but with the wider sector.
Future sessions will continue to explore topics that matter to our partners, helping to build a stronger and more connected social impact community.