Q&A with Dr. Patton McDowell: New Book on Nonprofit Leadership
March 8, 2022We're never too experienced or new professionally to be thinking about our careers and leadership skills. Especially in the nonprofit sector.
New book on nonprofit leadership for all stages of your career.Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, is out today. Enjoy this Q&A between Gail and Patton. Then check out his book.
Q: Your new book, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, is out today. Congratulations! Why do you feel so strongly about this topic?
A: I’ve been fortunate to work with fantastic nonprofit leaders during my 20 years in the sector before starting my consulting practice in 2009. Since then, I’ve coached dozens of outstanding leaders and learned even more from nearly 150 podcast guests from around the world.
Bottom line: there is great need for skilled leadership in our increasingly complex (and quickly expanding) sector. I’m determined to provide a practical guide that helps anyone in— or pondering—nonprofit leadership to define their goals and give them a clear path to achieve them.
Q: You suggest three types of nonprofit leaders are the ideal readers for this book— emerging leaders, mid-career professionals and lateral entries—why?
A: You have absolutely identified the three distinct types of potential nonprofit leaders this book was written for; however, I’d also add current senior leaders who need to think about hiring the first three!
- The emerging leader just finished a college program in nonprofit management and is trying to navigate their initial job search.
- The mid-career professional has hit the ceiling in their current role—maybe feeling some burnout—and is trying to evaluate their next steps.
- Of course, there are potential nonprofit leaders currently in for-profit jobs but are unfulfilled, and thus may become a lateral entry.
Q: Why should senior nonprofit leaders pay attention to their talent pipeline?
A: They know all too well about the issue of turnover, which only heightens the importance of attracting, recruiting, and retaining talented team members. Recent research on leadership transitions confirms nearly 40% of internal job moves made by people identified as “high potentials” end in failure.
Moreover, disengagement within this group has been remarkably high since the start of the “great resignation.” One in three emerging leaders report feeling disengaged from their organization, and 12% of all high-potential employees said they were actively searching for a new job.
Nonprofit leaders must address the root causes behind the great resignation to avoid a shortfall in their talent pipeline. Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership will help.
Q: What trends or research did you find to support your book’s insights?
A: Prior to Covid 19, US Nonprofits accounted for at least 12.5 million jobs. Covid certainly took its toll; in the first three months we lost 1.64 million of them, thus reducing the nonprofit workforce by 13.2%—a sector contributing more than $670 billion in payroll annually.
Now we add factors like the great resignation, where more than 7 million voluntarily left their jobs in April and May 2021 alone. They’re leaving for organizations that better address their personal and societal needs, and this presents an unprecedented opportunity for the nonprofit sector to attract new talent.
Q: Very exciting. So let's talk about your work. Tell us more about what you mean by “the Path.”
A: Everyone’s career is a journey. Even without external forces, navigating a career over most of your adult life involves ever-changing factors. I was determined to provide a practical guide to help anyone in, or pondering, a career in nonprofit leadership define their goals as well as give them a clear path to achieve them.
If your career is a journey, you need solid tools to navigate your path and guide you through. Hence the title, Your Path, organically emerged.
Q: Let's get more specific. Please share a few ways the book provides value to readers.
A: There are several concepts and related tools the book offers, including:
- It will help you articulate your nonprofit leadership vision
- You’ll know the ten essential leadership skills for nonprofit success
- You’ll develop a personal board of directors to support you on your path
Q: What a great tool, Patton. Where can readers purchase the book?
A: Readers can find print and eBook versions of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership on our website and through Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Apple Books. An audio version will be available later this Spring!
Patton McDowell is a nonprofit expert, author, speaker and coach. He leads a consulting practice called PMA Nonprofit Leadership, and is a sought-after coach and consultant on topics of leadership, strategic planning and board engagement. Patton hosts the weekly podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership.
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