Too Many NGO’s, Not Enough Leaders
Non-profit Organizations in our time, has become the blood of every civil society; providing progressive benefits as well as the necessary aids for marginal groups/sectors of society. It would however be infer by the word “non-profit” that it literally mean, gaining no profit from a particular NGO. Thus, it would be a common problem for these organizations, the funds for their activities, employees’ salary, and trainings.
Overview
Non-profit organizations based on the research done by the Bridgep Group (2006), faced the problem of having none if not too little resources to develop a large pool of highly competitive mangers within their organizations. Same study also indicates that over the next decade, an additional of more than double of today’s managers, will be needed by these organizations.
One of the key reasons for this deficit would be the continuously increasing number of NGO’s, the retirement of leaders or the disbanding of a leader to seek greener pasture outside their non-profit organization (Bridgep, 2006). With this in mind, there is a need to resolve this problem for leadership deficit. This paper aims to give suggestive ideas and proposals on how to address the growing need for leaders in NGO’s.
Proposed Answer to the Leadership Deficit
Publicity should come first. There’s a lot of ways to advertise your company. With this, you are definitely hitting two birds in one stone. First, through advertising, your endeavor and cause would be known to the public and it would be very beneficial since, major sponsors from your country or abroad would be pouring their support on your company. It would also be a good start to partner with media networks (because media has the fastest access to money).
Second, is that, you would be able to attract more and more people and volunteers to work for your organization. The more volunteers you have, the lesser the budget for mobilizing labor pool. Bridgep (2006), agree that though it may sound paradoxical, the presence of “funders” strengthen the NGO and its leadership demands through its demands that require to be met.
Enhance Compensation for NGO Leaders and Executives
Although some would find it their ends to reach their full potential in engaging themselves in “philanthropic” activities, it would not be denied that even these people has the economic needs, necessary for them and their families to survive. Leaders of the NGO would be much motivated if they think that their efforts and mental investments in the company are well compensated (Bridgestar, 2006).
Invest within the people of your organization
There is always an objective measure to quantify efficiency. Begin, by pointing out who among the junior employees in your NGO, have the capacity for hard work, mental alertness, loyalty and the necessary qualities such as greater sense of responsibility. Invest in them. Those in their senior years and are about to retire, should worked hands-on with their volunteers and juniors.
Try to impart to them the knowledge that you have long held to remain the executive of your organization. Investing in these young people is cheaper and gradual than recruiting from the outside. Whenever, potential leaders are already identified, start by imparting them a higher level executive strategies through training and development. The training strategy should be feasible, cheaper and would instill the value of “continuity” among the set of leaders. Also, discuss the trend in the leadership deficit to these new potential leaders and asked their opinions and suggestions about it.
Provide Intergenerational Discussion
By this, it means a link between the senior (baby boomers) and the future junior leaders. A discussion on the aspirations, the rewarding milieu, hindrances to loyalty within an NGO and difficulties among these future leaders, would give an insightful bird’s-eye view on what generation gap means and how to address this hindrance. A good background on the subjects mentioned above would be the basis for creating a better framework for recruitment, training and providing increased compensation and other benefits.
Senior leaders should always recognize the difference in technology they have handled before compared to these new junior potential leaders and the importance of giving the latter the right improvement for their creativity, growth and development, and fulfillment as prospective leaders of the company (NCNA, 2007).
A greater Plan for the New Batches of Leaders
More often than not, being a leader in an NGO neither confines anyone to the four walls of the organization, nor requires anyone to devote his/her life working for the organization. With this, it should not be overlooked, that at a more personal level, leaders tend to have their social activities outside the organization.
Forming a girls club, for instance is another role a leader may play. In this manner, NGO’s should male use of this event as an advantage not otherwise. For instance, a party or a training involving their organization may farther contribute to higher employees’ satisfaction and may open venue for new prospective leaders, if not loyal employees of the organization (The Cancer Council, 2007).
Given all the proposed alternatives above, NGO should reconsider the strategies that they have employed in their organizations. Above all things, for these company to realize the latter propositions, there is a must to strengthen their instability through increasing their sponsors and funds; with this all other would be a lot easier and faster.
References
- Girls Night In. (2007). The Cancer Council NSW. Retrieved, January 22, 2008
- Leadership Matters. (2006). Bridgestar.org. Retrieved, January 23, 2008, from https://www.bridgestar.org/Resources/Newsletters/2006/March2006.aspx
- Tierney Thomas. (2006). The Non-Profit Sector’s Budget Deficit. The Bridgep Group. Retrieved, January 22, 2008, from http://www.bridgepgroup.org/PDF/LeadershipDeficitWhitePaper.pdf
