Folks like me who care about the healthy evolution of our communities and think leadership is an important factor in that evolution are recognizing a difficult fact: we are facing a leadership deficit in nonprofit organizations. The revealing report, Ready to Lead: Next Generation Leaders Speak Out, asks an incredibly relevant question:

“As the Baby Boomers retire from their leadership positions over the coming decades and the labor market grows ever tighter, how will the nonprofit sector attract the most committed and talented leaders? What would draw Generation Xers and Generation Yers to positions that typically offer long hours for short pay?”

The report highlights what I learned early on, first watching my mom as a nonprofit Executive Director, then going on to become an Associate Director myself:  the hours are long, personal sacrifices are high, and – let’s be honest – the pay isn’t what it should be.

Obviously, there’s an opportunity to re-think leadership in our community organizations in a big way – and make those roles not only relevant to the organization, but satisfying and sustainable to the people who are in them.

Maybe these two “competitions” can offer some new blueprints. The Do Something Awards are celebrating and empowering outstanding young world-changers under the age of 25. And The Purpose Prize is encouraging work that matters in the second half of life: the prize is for social innovators over the age of 60.

Both groups have perspective that could seriously change the game – here’s to hoping that they do.

Awesome! From the award-winning documentary, “Playing for Change: Peace Through Music.”  To learn more about out the project, check out playingforchange.com.

How are you playing for change?