Closing the Nonprofit Leadership Gap: What Have You Done Lately?

Is this not cause for more alarm? The nonprofit sector is on the verge of experiencing what many are calling a “leadership deficit.” To cite a recent Bridgespan Group report, by 2016 the sector will need to attract a whopping 640,000 new senior executives to step up and take charge of the nonprofit landscape, which is 2.4 times the number currently employed. Are we really going to be able to meet this need, especially with competition from corporate and government salaries? And shouldn’t we be focused on developing the leaders we already have in the sector instead of trying to attract 640,000 new ones? It is apparent that in order for the sector to be able to attract and retain good leadership, we will need to put a lot more focus on developing nonprofit leaders. In short, it is becoming increasingly more important to build the capacity of nonprofit staff internally so that nonprofits have an adequate “pipeline” of employees prepared to fill vacant leadership positions in the coming years.

Both the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network recent survey results and an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer confirm what may be the nonprofit sector’s worst fears: there will be no one to replace most of the dynamic nonprofit leaders that will be leaving their organizations in the next three, five, ten years. As you absorb this alarming news and look wildly for cover around your nonprofit office, you might wonder if there’s anything anyone can do at this point, or are we to just face the fact that many essential nonprofits will have to close their doors for a severe lack of leadership? Like the hero in a bad movie might proclaim: No fear my dear, the answer lies within.

Pop icon Janet Jackson had a hit in the ‘80s with a catchy song titled: “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” To paraphrase Janet’s provocative question for today’s nonprofit executive directors nearing retirement: what have you done for your younger employees lately? What actions are you taking to ensure that other positions within your organization are getting the right leadership development opportunities so they can take over when you are gone? It’s clear that the shortage of leaders available to step into executive director roles is not going to fix itself. Therefore nonprofits need to be proactive in preparing their younger workforce to take the reigns. But how? There are several actions that executive directors can take right now to develop leadership within current staff:

• Provide mentoring opportunities to younger employees through your colleagues or board members. Allow work time to be used for mentoring sessions monthly or quarterly.
• Allow junior employees tangible leadership opportunities such as leading a meeting, managing an important project from start to finish, or supervising an intern or volunteer
• Encourage all staff to pursue learning opportunities outside of their job description – executive directors need to know each piece of the organization, so let your staff learn, too
• Involve staff in major decisionmaking, such as your organization’s strategic planning process or preparation for an important board meeting
• Encourage all staff to serve on other nonprofit boards

Don’t be afraid to give your staff room to shine! It can only benefit the organization in the long run when you are ready to retire and add leaders to the pool the sector will need in the coming years.