Seize the Opportunity: Moving Towards A Multigenerational Leadership Model
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services reported in their studies Daring to Lead (2001) and Daring to Lead 2006 that 75% of nonprofit executives planned to leave their jobs in the next five years. This shocking tidbit of data is often cited to support the crisis perspective, but as Frances Kunruether and Patrick A. Corvington point out in their forward-thinking report Next Shift: Beyond The Nonprofit Leadership Crisis (2007), even though both studies reported the exact same finding, no one claims there has been that kind of mass exodus. The executives may be planning to leave, but it appears many are not actually leaving. This suggests deep ambivalence about transitioning within organizations. Based on observations I’ve made facilitating eight rounds of peer coaching circles and co-facilitating one retreat for executive directors, the issue often stems from thoughts like these:
Even though part of me wants to leave,… I still believe deeply in the mission and have more to offer this organization.
… I can’t afford to retire or leave.
… I don’t trust that someone else can do what I do.
… I don’t think anyone wants to do what I do.
… I am not willing to give up this part of myself.
… I am not sure how to leave or where to go to.
Many executive directors find that they’ve built themselves into highly demanding and unwieldy positions (with the complicity of their boards), accepting a relatively uncompetitive salary and working ungodly hours at the expense of the rest of their lives. Boomers seem to be saying, “Enough is enough. I’ve carried this on my back for too long and something has got to give. I can’t work like this anymore. I need more balance, but I’m not ready to throw in the towel.” It’s commonly believed that Gen Xers deeply value work/life balance, and, as Kunreuther’s research attests in Up Next: Generational Change and the Leadership of Nonprofits, younger leaders feel forced to choose between their deeply held personal values and the demands of their organizations. In fact, many younger leaders are resisting taking over executive positions within nonprofit organizations.
It is easy to notice this reluctance and interpret it as a lack of commitment on the part of younger leaders, but Kunreuther’s research shows that younger and older leaders are equally committed and enjoy making a positive contribution to the field—and many are in it for the long haul. There is a strong sense of vocation for everyone. In a recent survey and focus group of mid-career arts professionals through Americans for the Arts, Victoria J. Saunders and Amy Kweskin Duncan found that even though mid-careerists were working long hours and facing burnout, they were not motivated to leave the field anytime soon. It is easy to assume that younger leaders are disinterested in leadership, yet Saunders and Kweskin Duncan found that when asked “what would bring them greater fulfillment,” the number one answer participants gave was, “Increased leadership ability, professional autonomy, and/or challenge.”
Working in our field provides deep philosophical and emotional nourishment to all of us. So what is underlying the reluctance on the part of young leaders? According to Kunreuther, younger leaders have witnessed older leaders struggle thanklessly to the point of burnout, but have not really seen or understood what fulfills them. For leaders who desire greater work/life balance, it is essential to have flexibility, separation between personal identity and organizational identity, adequate financial and professional support, and time away from the office for family and personal pursuit—but these values are not necessarily modeled by established leaders. Younger leaders also have a deep interest in participatory decision-making, less hierarchical leadership models, and alternative organizational structures. The executive positions as they stand, and not the charge of leadership, are unappealing. Kunreuther and Corvington also found that many younger leaders felt like “invisible leaders,” meaning that they feel their leadership efforts go unrecognized or are undervalued, which has demotivating consequences.
Perhaps this sounds like evidence to ring the crisis bell. But we can, in fact, find opportunity in these circumstances. What is key to reframing the crisis, in my view, is finding the common ground here—a growing desire for work/life balance and sustainability on everyone’s part—that can be the basis for dialogue, mutual learning, and making organizational change.
Redefining Leadership and Organizational Structure
In Up Next, Kunreuther asserts that many nonprofits “struggle to find appropriate leadership and decision-making structures that model deeply held values of empowerment and participatory democracy.” By taking the time to investigate alternative models, NAMAC organizations will have a greater chance at retaining Next Generation leaders.
In the Next Shift report, Kunreuther and Corvington suggest that we stop thinking about leadership transition as leadership replacement. Emerging leaders are resistant to filling the current roles of the executive. The established leaders themselves are recognizing how untenable their roles are and want change themselves. Furthermore, Boomer leaders approaching retirement age are staying in the workplace longer, but are seeking new, less taxing ways to provide leadership and remain employed. Millennials are now entering the workforce, and as a result our organizations are more diverse and intergenerational than ever. Based on the demographic shifts and the cultural values of those generations, a major reimagining of leadership and organizational structure is imminent. In the Fall 2007 issue of the Journal of Association Leadership, Jamie Notter writes:
Generation X is a relatively small generation, sandwiched between the two largest generations in American history. Given the current trend, it seems unlikely that Generation X will be able to simply take over the leadership positions or the spots on the boards of directors in a dominating way. The Boomers will likely stay longer than previous generations, and the Millennials will likely be moving more quickly into those positions, or, perhaps, creating new structures with broader shared leadership [my emphasis]. With three generations sharing leadership positions and functions, it is certain that a new model will emerge—one that will likely challenge the values and assumptions of all three generations.Finding the right recipe will take work: knowledge development, experimentation, refinement, and perseverance. Some specific steps individual organizations can immediately take, as suggested in the Next Shift report, are:
1) Take the time to assess what works and what is challenging about the way your organization is currently run, including the role of leadership. Think structurally, not personally.2) Document and share the changes your organization has made over time to address concerns about decision-making or leadership positions, including successes and disappointments.
3) Talk with leadership staff and across generations about your different views of what should be expected of an executive director. Learn what each generation thinks.
4) Consider building multigenerational leadership teams among staff and board members to make meaningful decisions; acknowledge differences based on age (and other issues if necessary).
If you take on this charge, I want to know about it, so that your on-the-ground experiences and learning can be shared with the broader NAMAC community. It’s through case studies—of both successes and failures—that the field will learn to grow and adapt together. (NAMAC has provided some resources on this topic; see articles by Helen DeMichiel and Julie Brich-Scheuring in the accompanying list of References).
Focus on Human Development
I’ve previously written about how the common nonprofit organizational “culture of sacrifice” jeopardizes the health and well-being of its people while expecting more and supporting less. We know how dedicated arts professionals, sometimes begrudgingly, accept this as a trade-off for the benefit of working with a purpose. Increasingly—and I think this is a good thing—this acceptance is running out. Our people are pushing back against these conditions and are insisting on working sustainably and purposefully. As organizational policy-makers, we ought to listen. As Victoria Saunders asserted in CultureWork, “greater attention to the ways in which we can improve the conditions could go a long way towards alleviating some of the frustrations [mid careerists] experience and to ensure that they continue to provide their best work for the communities they serve.”
How can organizations respond to the human development needs of our multicultural, intergenerational staffs and boards?
- Make leadership development a priority for ALL levels of staff. If you recognize that emerging demographic shifts suggest a broader, shared, intergenerational approach to leadership (versus a traditional top-down approach), then you will need to help support the successful transition of people into those roles. Leadership development is necessary for seasoned, experienced leaders so they can deepen their knowledge about intergenerational organizations and adapt appropriately. Consider attending the NAMAC Leadership Institute (June 8-12, 2008), an intensive intergenerational workshop designed to encourage and sustain visionary leadership in the arts. NAMAC members can also develop their leadership capacities by participating in Peer Coaching TeleCircles.
- Mindfully foster and develop relationships. By deepening internal relationships among staff, you can more fully appreciate one another’s strengths and successes. Younger leaders need to listen for what is appealing about executive roles, and established leaders should be mindful about letting emerging leaders know what motivates and excites them. Open doors for younger leaders to meet and network with important stakeholders, like funders and board members. The Next Shift report recommends that you: 1) Ask younger leaders to accompany older leaders to external meetings and be clear about their roles. In some cases they may participate, while in others they may be there to observe and learn. Afterwards, debrief participants about the meetings. 2) Allow Next Generation leaders to interact with board members. This can mean presenting issues to the board, staf?ng a board committee, or working one-on-one on a particular issue or project.
- Take on transition planning. Clearly, it’s a difficult decision to transition out of an organization that is so deeply connected to one’s values and sense of well-being (including financial). It’s important to consider the options that make sense to your circumstances and your organization. Those options may include updating benefits packages and developing financial assistance for retiring leaders, succession planning, or reimagining roles for transitioning leaders. It’s also important to find authentic ways to honor the legacy of our leaders and develop respectful strategies to help them say good-bye with ease and pride when the time comes.
Conclusion
It’s true that our organizations are undercapitalized, our missions are giant, and there is always more work and more stress. It’s easy to get caught up in crisis thinking and feel that we are broken, weak, and spent. (In fact, the opposite is true: Jean R. Lobell and Paul M. Connolly report in the Nonprofit Quarterly that a recent study comparing 360-degree performance evaluations of for-profit and nonprofit leaders, the nonprofit leaders outscored for-profit leaders in 14 out of 17 leadership dimensions). Founding directors get pathologized and diagnosed with “founder’s syndrome.” We hear warnings of an impending mass exodus of Boomers, of Gen Xers who are anti-authoritarian, and Millennials who are hooked on gaming. We’re always scaring the hell out of ourselves. If we can reframe the issues, we’ll see an unprecedented opportunity to embrace our diverse and intergenerational organizations, adapt our organizational structures, reinvent leadership and job roles, and invest in empowering and humane professional and leadership development.
DANIEL “DEWEY” SCHOTT is senior manager of leadership services at NAMAC and is a personal and professional coach.
