Ready to Lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out is based on the question, why are nonprofit executive directors experiencing burn out and leaving the sector in alarming numbers?  The authors believe we need to harness the energy of emerging leaders who are now thinking twice about becoming executive directors.  The report suggests, “It’s a shame emerging leaders are leaving the sector considering their extraordinary visions and values that drew them to the sector”.

This study conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, and Idealist.org, uses data from a survey taken by about 6,000 nonprofit employees.

The Ready to Lead? report found 32% of respondents want to be executive directors one day, and in fact, 40% of them said they are ready now or will be in 5 years.

So, why is there even the question still of the leadership deficit?

Ready to Lead? suggests that there are still overwhelming barriers to becoming executive directors.  Barriers include long hours, lack of a personal life, low paying salaries, “the perceived insufficient life-long career” in the sector, lack of mentorship and support, infrastructure limitations, and the executive director job description is just plain unappealing.

So, another study (Daring to Lead 2006, Stepping Up or Stepping Out, Bridgespan Group) finds the same thing…

Emerging leaders want to be executive directors, but not if it means working under the current conditions in the nonprofit sector. 

Now is the time for solutions.  Each report has recommendations tacked on the end.  This report particularly has some great recommendations for current executive directors, next generation leaders, board of directors, nonprofit training and leadership capacity builders, and funders.

Over the next couple of weeks we can use their suggestions, combined with what we heard from NP2020, to start with some action items each of us can take.

Tera Wozniak

Millennial