While we focus on the large-scale systems and structures such as policies, institutions, and societal norms that perpetuate inequality and injustice, meaningful change can also begin at a more personal level. Transformational ways of engaging with our work and the communities we serve are also the most practical first step since they don’t involve budget reallocations or significant resources.

The Power of Personal Practice

Personal practice refers to the habits, behaviours, and mindsets we bring to our daily lives and work. These practices shape how we interact with others, make decisions, and contribute to larger societal goals. In the context of our work, that can involve everything from how we approach collaboration with team members and partners to the ways we communicate and how we reflect on our own positionality and privilege.

One of the core ideas behind transforming personal practices is the recognition that systems are not abstract entities separate from the people who operate within them. Systems are made up of individuals whose collective actions and decisions sustain or challenge the status quo. By changing our practices, we can begin to shift the dynamics within our immediate environments. Leading by example, we can create a cascading effect within our teams and build towards systems change.

Reflexivity and Self-Awareness

At the heart of transforming personal practices is the need for reflexivity—an ongoing process of self-examination and critical reflection. Reflexivity involves questioning our assumptions, biases, and motivations and considering how our identities and experiences shape our perspectives and actions.

Regularly reflecting on all of this helps us ensure that we’re contributing to values and better understanding how these values evolve throughout our project cycles as well. The ways you define and engage with equity, justice, and inclusivity will change as your project unfolds and new ideas emerge, so regularly thinking about how you can learn from your work to be a better programme manager, for example, keeps this muscle engaged. This might involve reflecting on how our privilege influences our interactions with marginalised communities or examining how our own cultural background affects our approach to problem-solving. This also allows us to become more intentional in our work, making decisions that are more attuned to the needs and aspirations of the communities we seek to support.

Collaboration and Shared Leadership

In many social impact organisations, traditional hierarchies and power dynamics can inhibit creativity, with only specific voices and job titles being respected. This curbs innovation and stifles diversity in organisations. Collaboration and sharing leadership across teams can help break down these barriers and create more equitable and empowering work environments.

This might involve actively seeking out diverse perspectives, particularly from your teams and those people who are left out of decision-making. It could also mean sharing leadership roles and responsibilities, such as reviewing proposals and project plans with people from other teams or other levels within your organisation. This can also include rotating meeting facilitators and creating space for quieter voices to be heard.

All of this can help us challenge and transform the power dynamics that often perpetuate inequality. These steps, whether formalised or made more an organic part of your culture, model the inclusive systems we advocate for at a wider level. At a practical level, once this becomes a non-negotiable part of organisational culture, each person in our teams can be a powerful advocate for systems change.

Well-Being and Sustainability

Without repeating any of the great advice in The Nap Ministry (which I highly recommend, especially for anyone who works in Anglo-Saxon cultures), rest is our right, especially since the work that we do is so deeply personal. Our work is also incredibly high-pressured and fast-paced, whether that involves seeking grants, working in climate-vulnerable places, or shoestringing projects. It’s all too easy to fall into patterns of overwork, burnout, and self-neglect. However, sustainable change requires sustainable practices, and this begins with prioritising our own well-being and that of our colleagues and partners.

Transforming here might involve setting boundaries around work hours (and setting specific working hours that you and your teammates respect), taking regular breaks, and ensuring that proper self-care is an integral part of our daily routines. It also means being aware of how our work impacts others and creating organisational cultures that value well-being over relentless productivity. As a manager, for example, if you do not respect your working boundaries, you are implicitly signalling to your team that they should follow suit, which gets very toxic very fast.

If your organisation has flexible working hours, make use of them and encourage others to do as well. On a personal level, this could mean recognising when to step back from a project, seeking support when needed, or advocating for changes that promote a healthier work-life balance.

Agents of Change

We have the power to act as agents of change, whether within organisations and communities or using personal practices as a foundation for broader reforms.

This might involve challenging inequitable policies, pushing for greater inclusivity in organisational decision-making, or advocating for a co-designed approach to projects to help address the root causes of social issues. It also means being willing to take risks and speak out against injustice, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular.

For example, hiring practices may be within our sphere of influence or control; by helping to ensure that recruitment processes are inclusive and that diverse candidates are given fair opportunities, we are not only modelling the behaviour we value but demonstrating how relatively simple it can be. We may also be able to raise awareness within the grants management teams about how funding is allocated to grassroots organisations and how projects are structured to better distribute power. All of this can be small but meaningful, demonstrable steps to ensure that our daily work reflects shared values.

The Cascade Effect: Personal Practice as a Catalyst for Systemic Change

By cultivating reflexivity, embracing collaboration, prioritising well-being, and acting as agents of change, we can contribute to the creation of more just and equitable systems.

Importantly, the changes we make in our personal practices can have a cascading effect, potentially inspiring others to do the same and gradually shifting the culture and dynamics of the organisations and communities where we work.

In the end, transforming personal practices is about aligning our daily actions with the broader values and goals we seek to achieve in our work. It is a commitment to living, or at least attempting to, the values we care about and recognising that sustainable change starts with small steps.