Nonprofit Organisation Survey Reveals Industry-Wide Failure to Develop Future Leaders
Announcement posted by Integral Development 31 Jan 2013
Leadership development consultancy firm from Perth offers insight into how nonprofits can develop leaders from current employee bases before a crisis develops.
Recently, the Bridgespan Group conducted a survey of its members. The Bridgespan Group refers to itself as “a nonprofit advisor and resource for mission-driven organisations and philanthropists.”
Their members are leaders of some of the largest nonprofit organisations in the world. Though over 500 have reportedly taken the survey so far, the most recent compilation of statistics was from the first 225 respondents. The leaders were asked to strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree with a series of questions concerning leadership development, and whether or not their companies had plans in place for new leaders to succeed those currently in leadership positions.
The answers revealed that the nonprofit organisations acknowledged the need for leadership development, but were woefully deficient in formulating firm succession plans and taking action on developing leaders from within their current staffs.
For the purposes of this article, answers of “disagree” or “strongly disagree” will constitute disagreement, while answers of “agree” or “strongly agree” will constitute agreement.
When the executives were given questions concerning whether or not their leaders are engaged in leadership development, the answers were generally positive. 70% felt that their CEO’s were engaged, while 64% felt that their current leaders were engaged, and 69% felt that their company culture was one that supports leadership development.
However, when the questions turned to taking action, barely half as many executives felt positive about their companies. Only 35.9% felt that current leaders are held responsible for developing leaders. 43.7% felt that current leaders within their companies had been identified and recognised, while 41.5% felt that their companies invest sufficient resources into developing leaders.
The survey also indicated that the executives don’t fully understand their future needs. Only 27.6% reported that any plan was in place to address future leadership needs. 36.6% felt that their companies had identified potential successors, and only 38.7% felt that their companies fully understand their leadership needs within the next 3-5 years.
Questions concerning the nuts and bolts of developing future leaders were met with mixed responses. While 64.5% felt that there was sufficient on-the-job development in their companies, only 43% felt that mentoring and coaching were adequate, and 28.5% felt that development plans were in place for future leaders.
According to Dr. Ron Cacioppe, Managing Director of Integral Development, a leadership development and management consulting firm in Perth, the findings mirror those of proprietary businesses: “It’s a common theme; many firms, nonprofit and proprietary, neglect to recognise and develop the talent they already have, and end up hiring leaders from outside the organisation whenever there is an opening. Then, they have to spend a lot of time and money during the transitional period while leadership is transferred.”
Cacioppe continued: “Today’s executives are very busy. They are always “on the job” and usually multi-tasking. They often don’t have time to worry about developing their employees or identifying future leaders. The irony here is that a good leadership development program can often take a lot of pressure off of those at the top, allowing them to delegate many tasks and lower-level decisions to those who have the attitude and aptitude for leadership, and are properly trained to handle those roles.”
Cacioppe concluded, “The solution is simple: any company that doesn’t have leadership training or management courses for their employees should implement them as soon as possible.”
Integral Development is an expert leadership and management consultancy, providing leadership development training and programs, and management courses in Perth and surrounding areas.
Visit their website for more information: http://www.integral.org.au/ or call them at (08) 9242 8122.
Their members are leaders of some of the largest nonprofit organisations in the world. Though over 500 have reportedly taken the survey so far, the most recent compilation of statistics was from the first 225 respondents. The leaders were asked to strongly disagree, disagree, agree, or strongly agree with a series of questions concerning leadership development, and whether or not their companies had plans in place for new leaders to succeed those currently in leadership positions.
The answers revealed that the nonprofit organisations acknowledged the need for leadership development, but were woefully deficient in formulating firm succession plans and taking action on developing leaders from within their current staffs.
For the purposes of this article, answers of “disagree” or “strongly disagree” will constitute disagreement, while answers of “agree” or “strongly agree” will constitute agreement.
When the executives were given questions concerning whether or not their leaders are engaged in leadership development, the answers were generally positive. 70% felt that their CEO’s were engaged, while 64% felt that their current leaders were engaged, and 69% felt that their company culture was one that supports leadership development.
However, when the questions turned to taking action, barely half as many executives felt positive about their companies. Only 35.9% felt that current leaders are held responsible for developing leaders. 43.7% felt that current leaders within their companies had been identified and recognised, while 41.5% felt that their companies invest sufficient resources into developing leaders.
The survey also indicated that the executives don’t fully understand their future needs. Only 27.6% reported that any plan was in place to address future leadership needs. 36.6% felt that their companies had identified potential successors, and only 38.7% felt that their companies fully understand their leadership needs within the next 3-5 years.
Questions concerning the nuts and bolts of developing future leaders were met with mixed responses. While 64.5% felt that there was sufficient on-the-job development in their companies, only 43% felt that mentoring and coaching were adequate, and 28.5% felt that development plans were in place for future leaders.
According to Dr. Ron Cacioppe, Managing Director of Integral Development, a leadership development and management consulting firm in Perth, the findings mirror those of proprietary businesses: “It’s a common theme; many firms, nonprofit and proprietary, neglect to recognise and develop the talent they already have, and end up hiring leaders from outside the organisation whenever there is an opening. Then, they have to spend a lot of time and money during the transitional period while leadership is transferred.”
Cacioppe continued: “Today’s executives are very busy. They are always “on the job” and usually multi-tasking. They often don’t have time to worry about developing their employees or identifying future leaders. The irony here is that a good leadership development program can often take a lot of pressure off of those at the top, allowing them to delegate many tasks and lower-level decisions to those who have the attitude and aptitude for leadership, and are properly trained to handle those roles.”
Cacioppe concluded, “The solution is simple: any company that doesn’t have leadership training or management courses for their employees should implement them as soon as possible.”
Integral Development is an expert leadership and management consultancy, providing leadership development training and programs, and management courses in Perth and surrounding areas.
Visit their website for more information: http://www.integral.org.au/ or call them at (08) 9242 8122.