Nonprofit organizations depend on two resources to fulfill their missions. One, of course, is money. The other resource – just as vital but perhaps even more scarce – is leadership.
The dearth of strong leadership is only going to get worse as the nonprofit sector expands and baby boom executives retire. Over the next decade, it is estimated that nonprofits will need to find some 640,000 new executives, nearly two and a half times the number currently employed.
To meet the growing demand for talent and new leaders, the nonprofit sector has little choice but to think and act in new ways. Board members and other recruiters will have to explore previously untapped networks of talent – women returning to the workforce after raising their families, baby boomers shifting out of corporate work, mid-career executives looking for a change, officers retiring from the military, and idealistic young graduates wanting to make their careers in the nonprofit sector. Equally important, nonprofits will have to work on retaining their best leaders, providing them with opportunities for career development and advancement, both within individual organizations and across the sector.
Does your association have a plan for attracting top tier talent in face of the impending talent shortage? Find out how Van Petten Group can help your organization overcome the leadership hurdle.
MVP
Megan Van Petten
CEO & President
Van Petten Group, Inc.