How do you build your nonprofit's leadership pipeline?

All leaders should have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. Next in line leaders should be aligned to the mission and should deeply care about it and be committed to making a positive impact on society. Strategic planning and decision making, empathy and ethical value based leadership should be a few skills they should posses.

When it comes to creating a leadership pipeline, a very practical way of understanding your needs and gaps is to use a skills matrix. This requires understanding what skills, characteristics, demography and values you need at specific leadership levels and then assessing the team you already have. It shows very clearly where the gaps are, and brings objectivity and focus to how you bring people into your pipeline.

Having succession planning sessions with all levels of leadership in your nonprofit organization is essential. First, identify critical roles, then assess potential successor candidates. Clearly outline the requirements of the role and the gaps that candidates might have, and utilize an individual development plan to help bridge those gaps.

Every successful venture needs investment, similarly creating a leadership pipeline also needs investment. What kind of investment is required? . Time investment on your team . Need and gap analysis . Performance based training . Open Door Communication

In today's fast-paced world, investing in training and coaching is more crucial than ever. If you're serious about building a leadership pipeline, this is your second step. Training and coaching provide your team and board members with the skills, knowledge, and mindsets they need to excel. Consider various formats like workshops, webinars, and online courses. Tailor these to the specific needs of your leaders—be it emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, or communication skills. The earlier you invest in developing your people, the stronger your organization will be. My conseill: Take action now.

Creating opportunities for feedback and recognition is indeed an important aspect of building a strong nonprofit leadership pipeline. This involves providing regular and constructive feedback to individuals, acknowledging their achievements, and celebrating their contributions. By doing so, you not only boost motivation and engagement among potential leaders but also create an environment that encourages continuous learning and professional development. This culture of feedback and recognition helps in identifying and nurturing future leaders within your organization.

To strengthen your organization's leadership pipeline, nurturing a culture where feedback is constructive instead of punitive is vital. Setting clear goals and gathering diverse feedback from all levels empowers leaders by identifying knowledge gaps and offering tangible solutions for growth. As for recognition, taking time out of weekly stand-ups or quarterly meetings to acknowledge a team member's contributions can really help boost team morale. These investments in time and resources are pivotal for empowering your organization's people.

Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs are a fantastic way to pair emerging leaders with experienced professionals within the org! These programs can be designed to specifically support individuals from historically underrepresented and backgrounds. This can help with building a more diverse nonprofit leadership pipeline! Employee-Led Initiatives are another strategic way to encourage and support internal growth for staff. If given the proper resources, staff can enhance a sense of ownership and engagement in mission work while at the same time growing their own skillsets. It's a win-win! Truth be told, both strategies require a concerted effort and transparent commitment from the top.

In building our nonprofit leadership pipeline, a culture of mobility and flexibility is vital. Internally, we focus on nurturing our team. Through training and mentorship, we equip them for leadership roles. We promote mobility, allowing staff to experience various roles, giving them a well-rounded view of our operations. Flexibility is key; we offer adaptable work arrangements and continuous learning, fostering both retention and innovation. This approach crafts a dynamic leadership team, deeply rooted in the nonprofits values and responsive to the sector's evolving program demands.

Our nonprofit leadership pipeline is profoundly enriched by our collaborative ties with partners and key stakeholders. Through these collaborations, we access a diverse array of resources, knowledge, and expertise. Co-hosting leadership workshops with partners facilitates a mutual exchange of best practices. These gatherings serve as catalysts for leadership development, offering our team invaluable insights and experiences. Regular roundtable discussions and joint initiatives further cement these ties, exposing our members to varied leadership styles and challenges. This shared space for dialogue ensures mutual growth and adaptability. Ensuring that our strategies are both innovative and aligned with the sector's evolving needs.

My observation - in the nonprofit space it's easy to get consumed by the need your 'for-purpose' organisation is trying to meet. With limited resources, and seemingly overwhelming needs, this can result in tunnelled vision and leave no space for collaboration. I know it's happened to me. This stop us from seeing opportunities to collaborate and partner with those around us. Yet in a for purpose space, where competition should give way to collaboration, finding other organisations who share your purpose and partnering with them to learn and develop. This level of partnership helps both organisations succeed and is a great way to get perspective and develop teams.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is key to not only assessing organizational progress, but also to foster a shared sense of progress within your team. The M&E framework should also tie to the KPIs of team members, especially leaders. Leaders usually want to be clear on how to accelerate their career. Having clear KPIs that is tracked and reviewed at intervals can significantly contribute to the level of satisfaction of leaders in your nonprofit, especially when they can see how their input is contributing to the progress of your organization.

Personal vision fit with organizational mission can impact leadership pipeline develop. This alignment between personal mission and the organization’s mission cultivates a deep sense of ownership and commitment to achieving the organization’s goals. Fostering internal leadership can begin with each team member’s five-year professional vision. Through this, we nurture tenacity as they develop skills and gain experience in their current roles. As team members grow more proficient, we can elevate their responsibilities, progressively preparing them for leadership roles, and potentially, to lead the organization in the future.

Let’s talk about shared vision! I have found some of the best leaders for our organization simply by being open and vocal about the vibrant and vital future I am striving for on behalf of the communities we serve. By sharing my enthusiasm for this critical work whenever and wherever possible — at conferences, events, in articles and even here on LinkedIn — I have made connections with like-minded people with shared vision and values who have turned into phenomenal employees and leaders!

Be open to and seek out others who are not currently on your leadership team who have specific expertise in areas where your organization needs strengthening. Such individuals can help you build the Board and/or Executive Director's knowledge base. Considering creating an Advisory Counsel as a formal connection for the organization to these individual advisors. Then, be sure to actively engage with these folks to understand the issues and craft implementation plans, which match your current organizational capacity.

Cheri is so right. For nonprofits, selling your vision effectively is crucial to being able to attract top leaders to your organization.