How can nonprofits successfully develop future leaders?

Nonprofits are the lifeblood of a community. They provide critical services to the elderly and those in need. They ensure arts and culture are alive. They fund hospitals and cures for diseases. They support educational institutions and provide scholarships for students. They step in where government agencies fall short. 

In order for these vital community organizations to thrive, they must be staffed well. Yes, the role of nonprofit volunteers contributes to an organization's strength and success, but the staff provide the backbone of these vital community resources. Among the staff,  the leaders are mission critical staff members. Strong leaders create positive cultures, motivate volunteers and inspire donors, while lack of leadership can be devastating to an organization. 

Too often nonprofit staff are underpaid and overworked. Longevity in the sector is crumbling. The pandemic has provided additional strain on organizations already struggling to retain their staff and drive their mission. Some are choosing to leave for higher paying for profit positions. Some are retiring. Some are simply burnt out. 

A focus on leadership development has become of utmost importance for nonprofit organizations to continue serving the community and to ensure long term sustainability. Sadly, resources are not always available for organizations to make this a priority. But some organizations have turned to creative measures finding leadership training opportunities for their teams. The Boston Museum of Science is partnering with McKinsey on leadership development training for 40 of their staff members. The Tech Interactive in San Jose, CA has benefited from leadership training courses offered by corporate partner Cisco. Look around…there are ways to provide these important professional development opportunities to staff without breaking the bank. Reach out to corporate partners, or foundations who may fund these skill building initiatives. In some cases individual donors support leadership development for the institutions they fund. 

What else can be done? Invest in critical Human Resources functions like retention, succession planning and hiring. Recruit an HR executive onto the board to help with these efforts. Focus on hiring those with mission and culture fit as they are more likely to stay over time and to achieve success. Practice servant leadership and worker-led leadership groups providing those who are not in senior roles with an opportunity to lead. Implement Diversity Equity and Inclusion policies and evaluate the culture to ensure staff who care deeply about these issues stay, especially those future leaders of color which are so desperately needed in the sector.  In short, keep leadership development top of mind. Make it a driving force and an institutional priority. 

With the Great Resignation crippling the field and an anticipated exodus of nonprofit leaders, organizations must act now. They must make succession planning a priority by training up the next generation of leaders. Nonprofit board chairs and CEOs need to discuss the future on a regular basis. Developing future leaders needs to become a strategy for success. It will not only strengthen the organization in the present, the organization will be strengthened for years to come. Focusing on leadership development will result in loyal, competent employees today who will become leaders of tomorrow.