1.10 Nonprofit and NGO Talent Development and Leadership Pipeline Strategy
Purpose
The Nonprofit and NGO Talent Development and Leadership Pipeline Strategy measures annual progress against expectations regarding organizational leadership. It is designed to accomplish several key objectives:
Assess talent development needs: Identify areas where nonprofits and NGOs can improve talent development strategies.
Evaluate leadership pipeline: Determine the readiness and depth of leadership within organizations.
Develop strategies: Create actionable plans to address talent development and leadership pipeline gaps.
The framework is based on the following four components:
Leadership strategy: The nonprofit’s or NGO’s vision for leadership development and succession planning, and how it aligns with the organization’s overall strategy
Leadership pipeline: The nonprofit’s or NGO’s process for identifying, developing, and promoting leaders;
Leadership culture: The nonprofit’s or NGO’s commitment to leadership development and succession planning, and the values and behaviors that support it
Leadership talent: The nonprofit’s or NGO’s pool of potential leaders, and the skills and experience they bring to the table
Nonprofits and NGOs have long used this tool to develop their talent and leadership. It helps them find and groom future leaders, ensuring a steady stream of talent for the organization’s future success. The test is typically taken by leaders, executives, HR professionals, and other individuals who understand the organization’s dynamics, talent needs, and strategic goals.
Description
The Nonprofit and NGO Talent Development and Leadership Pipeline Strategy was developed by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). Nonprofit organizations can use a simple organizational leadership evaluation form to measure annual progress toward organizational expectations. Such forms can also be used in research across multiple organizations if the same form/approach is used. That said, individual forms are likely to be adapted to organizational values, which often differ.
This tool does have some limitations, including a lack of information about its reliability and validity, limited applicability across diverse organizational contexts, and the need for ongoing validation and refinement.
Access
The instrument is available online via the Executive Director Performance Evaluation Form Template – The Management Center (https://www.managementcenter.org/resources/sample-ed-performance-evaluation-form/). It is free.
It is also accessible via academic journals and research databases, including in the relevant articles listed in the references section. Using the instrument may require permission from the authors or copyright holders. Contact the authors directly or consult the articles for more information on the availability and permissions.
References
Center for Creative Leadership. (2019). Nonprofit and NGO Talent Development and Leadership Pipeline Strategy: Evaluation report.
Center for Effective Philanthropy. (2020). Organizational Leadership in Philanthropy (OLP) Tool: Predictive validity study.
