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#14 Scaling Curiosity and Leadership: Insights from Phoebe Sade of BrightSpark Early Learning

December 2, 2024 by Dr. Julie Pham Leave a Comment

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In this episode of Curiosity at Work, Dr. Julie Pham interviews Phoebe Sade, Executive Officer of BrightSpark Early Learning Services, to explore how curiosity shapes leadership in the social sector. Leading a nonprofit that has grown from 35 to 145 staff, Phoebe shares how BrightSpark help providers in King and Pierce counties access the services they need to offer the best possible quality care for children and families.. She discusses the challenges of scaling an organization, especially with 40% of the team hired in the last two years, and highlights the importance of adapting communication and decision-making processes to better serve both staff and communities.

Phoebe emphasizes the role of curiosity in fostering creativity and innovation, even under constraints like funding limitations in government contracts. By inviting her team to rethink traditional approaches, such as moving from one-on-one coaching to group models, she demonstrates how constraints can lead to transformative solutions. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in encouraging  staff to ask questions, challenge norms, and find sustainable ways to meet community needs without burning out.

Through candid reflections on her journey, Phoebe underscores the importance of empathy and openness in leadership. Whether tackling rapid organizational growth or rethinking long-standing practices, she exemplifies how curiosity can be a powerful tool for driving change and creating impactful solutions in the nonprofit sector.

Connect with Dr. Julie Pham:

  • LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliepham2/
  • Website:https://curiositybased.com/
  • Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/juliephamphd/

Connect with Phoebe Sade:

  • Email: sade@childcare.org
  • Website: https://www.brightspark.org/

If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to subscribe! By subscribing, you’ll never miss an episode filled with inspiring leaders and valuable discussions on how curiosity drives innovation, leadership, and workplace culture. Join us on the journey of continuous learning—subscribe now and stay curious!

#PhoebeSade #BrightSparkEarlyLearning #CuriosityAtWork #NonprofitLeadership #EarlyLearning #SocialImpact #Leadership #Innovation #WorkplaceCulture #EmpathyInLeadership

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Podcast: Curiosity at Work Advocacy, BrightSpark Early Learning, Coaching, curiosity at work, Early Learning, Empathy in Leadership, Innovation, leadership, Nonprofit Growth, Nonprofit Leadership, Phoebe Sade, Scaling Organizations, Social Sector, Systems Change, workplace culture

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