Shedding more than tears for plight of Third World

What makes your day at work?

Knowing that communities and people are being transformed by what we are doing, which is better than seeing a product at the end of the day. Also, being in contact with our donors, who are not particularly wealthy but care enough about the poor to make a sacrifice by giving. I like that I'm helping my donors connect with a sense of doing good in the world.

What has been your best moment?

Being in a Palestinian refugee camp on the West Bank with my 16-year-old daughter and catching her looking at me with an expression of, "So this is what my dad does." That gave me a lot of encouragement. Also being shown a new village well which has meant that children have not died that year from contaminated water, or seeing a woman's pride at creating a small business and generating independent income through our micro-enterprise programmes. My best moments are when I see communities proud of what they have achieved with our support.

When did you first become a manager?

I've worked in management since the early 1980s, but came to charity work in the last 15 years. Charity management is distinct from the business sector because it is cause-driven.

What has been the most important lesson learned?

Learning to drive out fear - organisationally and personally. Fear is the most destructive and corrosive agent in any organisation. I try to create a learning and creative culture. Experimentation and mistakes are okay as long as lessons are learned and improvements made. Organisational conflict does not send me into a spin any more. If it is brought out in the open and the issues are worked through, really good things can come from it.

What annoys you most?

I don't like incompetence, a fear of failure and an "I can't" attitude. I don't like people being "on the team, off the team." I like people who are fully committed and give it their best shot. And, I don't like junk e-mail and jammed photocopiers.

How have you dealt with the pitfalls in your career?

I'm a fairly reflective leader. I ponder over my mistakes and try to examine and extract lessons from them. I get strength from my Christian faith. From my experiences, I know that things can get a lot worse. I've seen the really rough side of what people face daily. I also consult a mentor with a background in charity leadership who is independent from the fund.

If you were starting all over again, what would you be?

I'm pleased at where I have found myself. I have a very rare life with a privileged career. I was a bit of a late starter in life, and I only wish I had been more focused earlier. Sometimes, in a really escapist mood, I try to imagine what life may have been like if I had become a veterinarian.

What will be the next big business issue of the decade?

Business will increasingly recognise wider social responsibility issues. There will also be a number of motives driving social responsibility. Like for companies to appear caring. I think that can be a positive thing. We welcome the opportunity to work with socially responsible and intelligent businesses.

In New Zealand we have the group Business for Social Responsibility and the Tindall Foundation, which are just the beginning of a trend. Also defining just what is the knowledge economy and how we will grasp and exploit it nationally.

What management wisdom is most overrated?

Strategic planning. I'm not against planning. No doubt we need structures to help define our future. But, to survive and grow there must be a high degree of organisational responsiveness, opportunistic savvy and risk-taking, especially in this line of work.

How do you relax?

I enjoy relaxing and talking with my wife. I live in the Waitakeres, so I enjoy bush walks. I also go to the gym, play a bit of tennis and try to find time to fish. I did a bit a gliding last summer and look forward to more this year. It is a great de-stressor that lasts for days.

*Stephen Tollestrup spoke with Jillian Talbot.