Dear Reader
When I launched Volante, quite a few people asked:
“Why that name?”
Because in Spanish and Italian, volante means flying - in motion, with lift.
And for me, that’s what powerful leadership should create:
Clarity when things are foggy.
Calm when everything’s moving.
Momentum when the stakes are high.
It’s also the kind of leadership I needed most in some of the hardest and most defining moments of my career.
Watch the video to learn more about the name:
Here are three moments where I would have given anything for a calm, trusted thought partner - someone in my corner.
1️⃣ When we shifted from direct service delivery to government partnerships.
We were evolving our model and letting go of tight operational control and shifting to co-creating with governments to build something more scalable and sustainable.
It was the right call. But it was messy and took time.
There was resistance. Doubt. Concern.
Staff, funders, and board members all asked tough questions:
“Is this still who we are?” “Are we compromising impact for scale?”
In those moments, I needed someone to help me stay centred.
To remember the long game.
To hold the vision when others were (understandably) unsure.
2️⃣ When our culture was straining under fast growth and a pandemic.
At one point, half our team had been with us less than two years.
Then COVID hit.
We could feel the cracks.
So we doubled down on values. Relaunched them.
Built action plans based on employee feedback. Invested in leadership. Created safe spaces for difficult conversations.
Three years later, our engagement scores and culture benchmarks were among the best not just in our sector but across all organisations.
But it took deliberate, human-centred leadership. And many days, I wished I had someone to help me step back and see the bigger picture when it felt it wasn't enough. When I felt I was not enough.
3️⃣ When things went wrong.
A cyberattack.
A serious fraud incident.
Even though we were already improving our systems to keep pace with our growth, it was a shock.
We acted fast. We were transparent with funders. And we chose to share our learnings openly with peers.
That wasn’t easy and at times I questioned was sharing so openly and so widely the right thing to do.
Choosing vulnerability and integrity over optics was the right decision.
And again, I could have used a voice of perspective - someone to remind me: You’re doing the right thing. Keep going.
That’s why I started Volante.
Not a consultancy.
A partner.
For leaders like you navigating pressure, growth, and change.
Thanks for reading.
And for the work you’re doing in the world.
Warmly,
Liz
Strategic Advisor | Former CEO | Founder, Volante
Kenya-based, available globally
📅 If you’re in the thick of something big, or simply want to think out loud.
