Tandem Leadership

“You need that spark to be the leader you wish to be.” ✨ Appearing on the Think Change podcast, ODI’s Director of Global Advisory Sasha Kapadia – who oversees Tandem – discussed the hallmark of a good leader: a willingness to learn. Tandem ignites that spark for growth. Through the programme, leaders take a moment to pause and reflect on their power and positionality, strengths and limitations, and leadership potential. Listen to the full episode on what makes a great leader today, as host Sara Pantuliano (Chief Executive, ODI) is also joined by Tandem graduates Gaurav Ray, BSc, MBA, Dip-HA (Head of Bangladesh Office, Deutsches Rotes Kreuz), Lisa JEAN (Iraq Country Director, Mines Advisory Group): https://lnkd.in/e__rjjKC #ThinkChangePodcast #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment

🌟 Tandem has a new website! 🌟 On our revamped site you can: 📈 Follow the learning journey of our diverse and growing group of leaders  💡 Take in their insights, experiences and lessons in leadership  📚 Explore Tandem’s leadership programme, its wide-ranging resources and tools  🌍 Engage with the Tandem team Have a browse here: https://lnkd.in/euYWC__R #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment

“𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 ‘𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑚𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑡’.” Marianne Ward, a Tandem leader and Ukraine Deputy Country Director for the UN World Food Programme, has significant experience managing complex crises.   Here she shares why it’s so critical for leaders working in such settings to be recognised as professionals. The Tandem programme ensures that its leaders can depend on its training, tools, and network for more impact when it counts.    #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment 

"𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑗𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑."   At a time when the humanitarian and development sector is undergoing major changes, we need new approaches to leadership. Tandem equips leaders with the tools and connections critical to navigating these uncertain times together. WHH Nepal Welthungerhilfe Director Shakeb Nabi, among our current group of Tandem leaders, describes the spark the initiation retreat has ignited for him. #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment

“𝐴𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑔𝑜 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠.” Tricia Naddaff (she/her/hers), one of our brilliant coaches from MRG (Management Research Group), reflects on how she saw Tandem come alive at last week's initiation retreat in Amman.   Our leaders work in emergencies. Through Tandem, they have access to a wealth of resources via our global community, providing not only counsel but an often-needed morale boost during challenging situations.    #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment

What a powerful week in Amman for our second cohort of leaders! 🎉     As our initiation retreat draws to a close, our leaders have embraced the deep discomfort that comes from embarking on a learning journey. They have forged close bonds through the vulnerability inherent in being open and sharing – peer-led learning that is at the heart of Tandem.    Returning to their intense day jobs across 24 countries – from Ukraine to South Sudan to Panama – they will draw on these insights and connections to assert their leadership in new ways, all in the service of more impact.    And this is just the beginning! Follow them as they move into the virtual realm over the next six months before reuniting in April.   #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment Albert Mollah | Ann Spencer-Arscott | Tunde Ojei | Dima Jweihan | Eva Matiko | Faryal Minhas | Lamees Hafeez | Gbati Kossi Agbo | Hassane HAMADOU | Hazem Fahmy | Innocent Emereuwa | Jean Marie KIPELA, MOKE FUNDJI | Juja Kim | Julian Zakrzewski | Marc Karna SORO | Katelyn Buisman | Libor Chlad | Marianne Ward | Michael Ojo | Miriam Machaya | Obia Achieng | Humphrey Morrish, PhD | Ousséini Badini | Pauline NADIM| Philippe Sacher | Ramesh Singh | Sajeda Shawa | Sally Abi Khalil | Samira Daoud | Shakeb Nabi | Sofia Olsson | Shahin Ashraf MBE, | Charles Usie | Sasha Kapadia | Danielle Skidmore | Katie Robertson | Elaine Antwi | Frederic Nortier | Tricia Naddaff (she/her/hers) | Camil Khoury | Herbert Dreier | Yene Assegid, PhD, ICF/MCC

🌍 Tandem Leadership: Courage in Humanitarian Leadership 💡 In an era of growing humanitarian crises, leaders often find themselves standing at a crossroads—where uncertainty meets immense responsibility. The stakes are high: lives, communities, and entire regions depend on the decisions these leaders make. It is here that humanitarian leadership is both tested and forged. The Overseas Development Institute's Tandem Leadership Programme provides an incredible opportunity to nurture and support leaders on this journey. Nelson Mandela once said, “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” This quote perfectly embodies what humanitarian leadership demands. Courage is not about being fearless—it’s about rising above fear, and the Tandem Leadership Programme empowers leaders to do exactly that. With a diverse cohort of 35 brilliant leaders, each bringing their own spark, vision, and experiences, this program fosters an environment of shared wisdom and growth. Supported by expert coaches, leaders are encouraged to reflect deeply, push beyond their boundaries, and find the clarity and strength to navigate the complex challenges they face. At its core, #tandemleadership is about collaboration. Leadership in this space isn’t a solo journey—it’s about learning how to lead with others and for others. By building leaders who can balance empathy with decisiveness, strategy with compassion, the Tandem Leadership Programme equips them to confront some of the world’s toughest humanitarian challenges. Humanitarian leaders are often the quiet champions, working in places where hope and despair are intertwined. Through collaboration, courage, and purpose, they show us what it means to lead toward a more just and hopeful future. Leadership isn’t the absence of fear—it’s about finding the spark to rise above it, together. 🔥 #Leadership #HumanitarianLeadership #TandemLeadership #Courage #ODI #HumanitarianAid #Collaboration #Growth #Resilience

It's the final day of our leaders' initiation retreat in Amman!     They have taken a rare moment to pause and look inwards this week, opening up to one another to dissect their own leadership approaches and challenges.   As they prepare to return to their high pressure jobs around the world, we asked some of our group to reflect on the past five days and what energises them most about the Tandem journey ahead:    🇳🇬 Michael Ojo, Nigeria Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) 🇿🇼 Miriam Machaya, Head of Africa Division, Christian Aid 🇵🇦 Philippe Sacher, Senior Inter-Agency Coordinator in Panama, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency 🇳🇵 Sofia Olsson, Nepal Country Director, Finn Church Aid    #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment

Humanitarian needs are escalating, but resources continue to dwindle. 🚨 Tandem leader Tunde Ojei, Country Director for the International Rescue Committee in Nigeria, points out this troubling paradox facing leaders in the humanitarian and development sector today. At this week's initiation retreat in Amman, he shares how he believes Tandem will help him and his peers to broaden their perspectives and confront these challenging times together. #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment

"𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑥𝑡𝑠, 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑠, 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑚 𝑐𝑜ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠, 𝑖𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑 𝑚𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟." Meet Eva Matiko, Director of Programs at Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS). Eva is among our second group of leaders immersed in this week's initiation retreat in Amman. Here she shares what excites her about commencing her Tandem learning journey and her expectations for the road ahead. #TandemLeaders #Leadership #Learning #LearningAndDevelopment