The 2019 edition of our annual conference will take place at the Business Design Centre in London on 21 November, and will focus on Leading Outside the Ordinary. The full programme is available on the website, and in this blog series, you will get the know our speakers a little bit better.
Peter Lewis is the chief executive of the Institute of Fundraising. At the conference, he will talk about leading responsible fundraising in challenging times.
What’s your favourite thing about working in the social sector?
I’ve always been committed to making the world a better place. Charities are a vital part of that, delivering change themselves or with others, or agitating for others to make things better.
What does leading outside the ordinary mean to you?
Leading in the charity sector should always be leading outside the ordinary because you should be leading to make the world a better place, to enable your organisation to have more impact. That is not an ordinary thing to do.
What’s the best professional advice you’ve been given?
If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always got.
What’s your favourite thing to do for your own well being?
Playing tennis or skiing. Something where you are physically active and have to concentrate, so it is both good for your physical health and there is no possibility of thinking about work.
Why do you think it’s important to attend networking events?
I wouldn’t go to an event just for networking. You need to have a purpose. Ideally some content as well. That makes it easier to have the first conversation. And when it is difficult, or you are not in the mood, you just need to steel yourself and remember you will always learn something from talking to other people
