In this week’s episode, Debra and Peter dive into some big conversations with their signature mix of honesty, humour and candour.Debra shares why bad board paperwork is her ultimate bugbear – and how her new speed read booklet is here to help charities do better. From baffling acronyms to unhelpful agendas, she explains why it’s not about paperwork, it’s about information.Then Peter brings news from the NSPCC’s annual council meeting and a powerful story from the Soldiering On Awards. The duo also reflect on the latest Third Sector podcast with Laura Kerby from Prostate Cancer UK, whose charity faced backlash for a campaign targeting Black men – despite the evidence supporting it. Debra and Peter unpack the ethics of corporate partnerships, public reactions, and standing firm when it matters.Finally, inspired by Polly Neate’s reflections on men interrupting women, Debra and Peter turn the mic on themselves to ask: do we do this too? What does it mean to be an ally, and how can leaders use their power better?All that, plus chutney, jelly, and a few leadership confessions.🔗 Resources and Mentions:Debra’s new book: Speed Read: Board Paperworkhttps://www.dsc.org.uk/publication/speed-read-board-paperwork/Third Sector Podcast: “How Prostate Cancer UK is dealing with political and ethical concerns” featuring Laura Kerbyhttps://shows.acast.com/third-sector/episodes/how-prostate-cancer-uk-is-dealing-with-political-and-ethicalYouTube Subscribe: https://YouTube.com/@DSCOnlineMore Debra Allcock Tyler:https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-allcock-tyler-8013214/More Peter Wanless:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sir-peter-wanless-b43aa372/Produced by: Directory of Social Change https://www.dsc.org.ukPodcast Producer: José Blazquez

Peter and Debra kick off with a reality check on London-centric assumptions in the charity world. From senior rail cards to £100 peak trains and the admin faff of claiming expenses, they dig into how travel costs and unpaid expectations quietly exclude voices we need at the table. If you’re outside the M25 or balancing freelance income with volunteering, this one will resonate.Then it’s leadership without the hero cape. Do leaders build success or just claim it? Using the week’s headlines as a springboard, Debra questions credit-taking in public life and in charities, while Peter reflects on sharing credit, taking responsibility and the messy reality when multiple crises land at once. Culture, policies and consistency take centre stage: brief them, model them, repeat them.There’s also a warm moment as Peter heads to an annual council meeting to receive honorary recognition, plus a wry note on how big speeches get reduced to a single line in the minutes. We round off with practical tips: why you should re-brief key HR policies, the value of acting-in-absence, Christmas party conduct reminders, and why senior leaders should show their face at socials but not stay too long.In this episode: • London-centric habits, travel costs and inclusion • Should trustees and speakers always have expenses covered • Credit, responsibility and the real job of leaders: culture, culture, culture • Policy briefings that prevent tribunals • Acting-in-absence and what really reaches the top • Socials etiquette for leaders: attend, then leave • Recognition, legacy and that one-line-in-the-minutes feelingTell us what you think or share your own experiences in the comments. If you’ve got a question for Debra and Peter, pop it below and we’ll pick it up in future episodes.YouTube Subscribe: 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

Episode 46! Debra and Peter wade into the thorny territory of when, how and whether charity leaders should speak publicly. From the right to protest and the importance of timing, to the realities of social media and the messenger effect, they explore how good intentions can collide with legal limits, organisational duty and a very online world.Curious about where you stand? Here are some of the questions we wrestle with:• Are charity leaders more constrained than business leaders when speaking out?• When should a chief executive speak as an individual and when as the organisation?• Does timing around sensitive anniversaries change what responsible protest looks like?• Why does the same idea land differently depending on who says it?• Is LinkedIn getting harsher for sector debate or just louder?• What does the law actually stop charities from doing at election time?Along the way: a few stories about recognition, memory and how social media shapes familiarity, plus a reminder that two things can be true at once — and that nuance still matters.Send your questions to jblazquez@dsc.org.uk or comment below for the next episode!YouTube Subscribe: YouTube.com/@DSCOnlineMore Debra Allcock TylerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-allcock-tyler-8013214/More Peter WanlessLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sir-peter-wanless-b43aa372/Produced by: Directory of Social Change https://www.dsc.org.ukPodcast Producer: José Blázquez