When working in complex organizations like the UN or federal government, don't try to master their internal language. Instead, find and partner with internal experts who can translate your goals into the organization's native operating system to achieve impact.

To overcome the slowness of its hierarchical structure, the UN agency shifted decision-making away from its Geneva headquarters. Empowering local teams who are closest to refugees allows for faster, more relevant responses, fostering a "whole-of-agency" approach rather than a top-down one.

When resources contract dramatically, the typical mantra of "doing more with less" becomes unrealistic. The UN Refugee Agency candidly accepted the need to "do less with less," forcing a ruthless prioritization of which activities to stop entirely, acknowledging that efficiency alone cannot bridge a massive funding gap.

Billions spent on border security hardware are a less effective use of funds than foreign aid. The same resources invested in stabilizing migrant populations in the first countries they flee to—supporting local healthcare, jobs, and schools—could prevent onward migration to the West for a fraction of the cost.

Malaria expert James Tabenderana notes that research is adopted much faster when led by national researchers. In the Sahel, studies on malaria chemoprevention were quickly implemented because local researchers, with their existing trust and relationships with ministry of health officials, could effectively bridge the gap between evidence and policy.

An aid agency's budget is dwarfed by a host country's ministry spending. Therefore, instead of running parallel programs, the most impactful approach is "system strengthening": working directly with local government to integrate evidence and optimize how they allocate their own, much larger, budgets.

The UN Refugee Agency moved from distributing physical items to providing cash assistance, sometimes using blockchain. This approach is more efficient, reduces fraud, and grants refugees the dignity and autonomy to purchase what their families need most, rather than receiving pre-determined supplies.

During the LA wildfires, Baby2Baby's volunteer center became a therapeutic outlet. Even those who had lost their own homes flocked there to help, transforming the organization from a simple aid provider into a central hub for collective action and healing, giving agency back to those who felt helpless.

During a crisis, create a "mission control" with key agency partners. This "cabinet mentality" reframes the problem as a unified political campaign with a common enemy, fostering collective ownership and generating cross-disciplinary solutions.