This edition of Leadership Inspired invites reflection on how the social sector is rethinking not just its strategies, but its ways of working. Across organisations, digital tools are now deeply embedded in everyday operations. From data systems and dashboards to communication platforms, workflow systems and AI tools, digital has become inseparable from how work gets done. Yet for many leaders, digital still sits at the periphery of leadership conversations, viewed as a technical or operational concern rather than a core organisational responsibility.

Over the years, my own learning has been shaped by close engagement with social sector leaders navigating scale, complexity, and constant change. What has become increasingly clear is that digital transformation is rarely about technology alone. It is about people, decision-making, organisational culture, and the ability to adapt with intention. Technology can enable change, but leadership determines whether that change is meaningful and sustainable. As the sector grows in ambition and reach, the challenges leaders face have also evolved. Distributed teams, heightened accountability, data-driven decision-making, and increasing expectations from funders and communities demand new capabilities. In this context, digital systems are no longer optional enablers. They are essential to building resilience, strengthening trust, and supporting learning across organisations.

At the same time, transformation can feel unsettling. It challenges long-held ways of working and exposes capacity gaps that leaders may not always feel equipped to address. This is why safe spaces for reflection, experimentation, and shared learning matter deeply. When leaders are able to engage with digital questions without fear of judgment, they are more willing to rethink systems, test new approaches, and course-correct along the way

This edition encourages leaders to view digital transformation not as a one-time initiative, but as an ongoing leadership practice. One rooted in curiosity, humility, and long-term responsibility. Strengthening the social sector for the future will require us to place digital squarely where it belongs: within the everyday work of leadership.