The forecasted shortfall in nonprofit managers is the equivalent of recruiting more than 50 percent of every MBA graduating class, at every university across the country, every year for the next 10 years, according to Bridgespan Group’s Chairman and founder, Tom Tierney. The findings are in the Summer issue of SSIR, the Leadership Deficit. What do you think of these dire projections?
And if you find the projections credible, what do you think of the solutions? For instance, Tierney and Marc Freedman suggest harnessing the energies of the vast population of aging boomers who are seeking a more rewarding second career. (Attention all mid-life crisis investment bankers and lawyers…) What about persuading foundations and donors to invest in leadership and other HR functions in a nonprofit? Or rethinking executive compensation and how it is counted as overhead rather than an essential function? A handful of forward thinking foundation leaders such as Paul Brest understand that attracting and retaining talent is the most important factor to an organization’s success and thus provide general operating support. Will other foundations follow suit?
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Read more stories by Perla Ni.