Board Rehearsals, Ambition and Succession

Episode 58 sees Debra and Peter cover a lot of ground, from the practical realities of charity governance to some much bigger questions about leadership and ambition.Debra explains why board rehearsals have become one of the most valuable practices at DSC. From preparing staff to answer trustee questions with confidence, to creating the right space for honest discussion, they explore how preparation can strengthen governance without slipping into over-polish or control.The conversation then turns to ambition. Prompted by recent political manoeuvring, Debra and Peter ask whether ambition has become a dirty word in the charity sector. They unpack the difference between healthy and unhealthy ambition, why organisations need ambitious people, and how leaders can support individuals to fulfil their potential without trampling over others.Succession planning also comes under the spotlight. They challenge common assumptions about grooming the next chief executive, discuss talent development, bias, open recruitment, and why real succession planning is about building robust organisations rather than picking future leaders. Along the way, they draw lessons from politics, shared leadership models, and Abraham Lincoln’s approach to managing big egos with a clear sense of purpose.YouTube Subscribe: https://YouTube.com/@DSCOnlineMore Debra Allcock Tyler LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-allcock-tyler-8013214/More Peter Wanless LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sir-peter-wanless-b43aa372/Produced by: Directory of Social Change https://www.dsc.org.uk Podcast Producer: José Blazquez