The Case for Not-for-Profit Leadership

Some of my clients and many of my business colleagues are part of the world we refer to as not-for-profit. There is no doubt our communities and nation are stronger because of the work these organizations perform on behalf of those persons in our society who lack a voice. Countless volunteers also benefit from their relationship with the not-for-profit community, which serves as an outlet for the deep passion many of them feel for the issues and problems facing our world.

In recent months I have also been confronted with the lack of leadership that permeates many of these enterprises – from executive directors that have violated the trust of their stakeholders to boards whose apathy toward the work they are charged to do is astounding. While many not-for-profits have strong and vibrant leadership there is growing evidence that some of our best advocates in the community are facing a real dearth of leadership. If this trend continues there will be a backlash from the donor community and some of the challenges facing the vulnerable in our towns and cities will go unmet.

One way not-for-profits can proactively address the looming leadership vacuum is to spend more time in recruiting, training, and evaluating board members. This might seem like stating the obvious but my observations indicate many institutions are woefully deficient in crafting and implementing board development programs. Few boards evaluate their own performance annually and many make no attempt to address poor behavior by individual members. Orientation processes for new or prospective members don’t exist or are poorly executed. Training programs to build board member skills are available in many areas but often attended only be the persons who already take their board role seriously.

In recent years many chambers of commerce have initiated community leadership programs to specifically prepare participants for potential participation on a not-for-profit board or local government committee. While these offerings have addressed the need for board volunteers, the programs don’t always equip these leaders with the skills needed to effectively serve in their new roles. Without strong proficiencies in collaboration, interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, creative thinking, problem solving, ethics, diversity, fundraising, and behavioral styles the impact of a new crop of committed and energetic leaders will be largely muted.

Not-for-profits exist to impact their community – to serve as advocates for public policy, to address the unmet needs of society’s most vulnerable populations, and to change perceptions about how things get done. Government at every level has proven its inability to tackle many of our most persistent social issues so we need strong not-for-profits even more. Its time for every grassroots and national organization dedicated to making our world a better place to look in the mirror. Are you being transparent with your stakeholders? Is your board well trained and highly engaged? Do your executive director and staff have a reputation beyond reproach?

Working or volunteering in a not-for-profit is more than a calling; it is a sacred trust and responsibility. There is no room for arrogance and ego. If your organization isn’t monitoring itself and cultivating a strong culture of accountability with its staff and board maybe its time to admit you have a problem. Failing to plan is planning to fail. I rest my case.