Nonprofit Leadership Development Toolkit

Nonprofits and NGOs around the world are more focused than ever For additional information, we recommend reading this toolkit's
on developing and retaining the future leaders who will steward their companion article, “How Nonprofit Leadership Development Sustains
organizations toward greater impact. While a robust “corporate” Organizations and Their Teams.” It expands on these approaches
leadership development system may seem out of reach due to resources with real-life examples. Bridgespan also offers a step-by-step, online,
or capacity, a few simple practices can go a long way. In Bridgespan’s team-based program called Investing in Future Leaders (IFL), which
work supporting hundreds of organizations’ talent development, we have helps nonprofit executive teams create inclusive, customized approaches
found that the key to low-cost, effective leadership development is to to leadership development. IFL is part of Bridgespan’s Leadership
explicitly define the competencies most important to the organization, Accelerator, a program to help nonprofit leadership build organizational
and then to work with emerging leaders on tailored development plans capacity and tackle key strategy and management challenges.
that help them build those competencies over time.
Whether you choose to implement this toolkit yourself or get support
This toolkit is designed to help executive teams, in coordination with from an external advisor, your team will need to invest a meaningful
human resources professionals or other staff support roles, to develop amount of time. But once you’ve laid the groundwork, it can serve
and implement the foundational components of an effective leadership as part of an ongoing system that will prepare your future leaders
development system. It includes four key steps: to pursue your organization’s mission now and over the long term.

.1  lign on a set of competencies

A
that reflect organizational goals
Nonprofit Leadership Development: Four Key Steps
and values

.2  o-create professional
C
development plans using
the 70-20-10 model Align on Co-create Support Make it stick:
 upport ongoing development
S a set of development development embed tools into
.3 Update 2-3 years,
conversations between competencies
as needed
plans conversations existing systems
managers and direct reports

4  ake it stick: Embed these tools

M
into existing talent systems

For each step, we include detailed

guidance, practical resources, Source: The Bridgespan Group

and worksheets to help executive

teams jump‑start their leadership
development processes.

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 Align on a set of competencies

.1 Align on a set of competencies that reflect organizational goals and values

What are competencies? How to get started

• Competencies explicitly define the skills and capabilities Determine what skills and capabilities are and will be necessary to
that are required for individuals to do their jobs successfully. deliver on your organization’s strategy. As you think about what core
Competencies are tied to an organization’s mission, strategy, and leadership competencies are important for your staff to develop,
and values. look to your strategy to drive those decisions. Begin the process of
• Competencies generally fall into two categories: core, skills selecting your competencies by answering these questions with your
needed by everyone in the organization, and leadership, skills leadership team:
needed by those in management positions. Core competencies are • What are the biggest assets of leaders in your organization today?
those that everybody in the organization needs to build to do their Consider the values, skills, or ways of working that have helped
work. Leadership competencies enable current and future leaders leaders excel in their roles.
to take on greater responsibility and perhaps eventually lead • How might leaders in the future need to be different from leaders
their organization. today or in the past? Consider how your operating context and
organizational strategy and goals may have shifted over time.
Why are competencies important?
• What are your organization’s values, commitments, or goals
• By having a clear, agreed-upon set of competencies that align
related to equity and inclusion? How do your competencies help
with your organizational goals and values, organizations can
in furthering those goals and identifying a diverse set of leaders?
make sure they are developing all staff effectively on a specific
set of necessary skills and capabilities. This is particularly Select competencies that will prepare leaders to meet your
important ifyou have goals related to equity and inclusion organization’s current and future needs. Select up to 12 core
in your organization. and leadership competencies. Feel free to draw from Bridgespan’s
sample competency bank for inspiration and adapt them as
appropriate. While 12 is simply a guideline, we have found it more
Key resources feasible to focus development efforts on the subset of skills that
are most necessary for impact or require the most investment. It’s a
• Bridgespan’s sample competency bank (PDF)
judgment call, and involving your senior management team can be
• ProInspire’s Leading for Race Equity Impact framework helpful.
• Four Mistakes Nonprofits Make When Using Competencies in
You’ll notice the skills in our competency bank have two components:
Talent Management
sub-competencies and scaled definitions.
• Sub-competencies help you get specific about the components

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 Align on a set of competencies

of a competency so the required skills can be clearly defined. of leaders of different races, ethnicities, genders, castes, or other
The example on page 5 below shows that the “decision-making” markers of identity. Challenge yourself to think differently about your
competency is made up of two sub-competencies: gathering and competencies—all of them—and about how you articulate what it
interpreting data and executing decisions. takes to succeed.
• Scaled definitions describe competencies along a spectrum of While many organizations may simply select competencies directly
progression that give staff a clear vision of how they can grow. from Bridgespan’s competency bank, you might also take inspiration
Instead of someone “having” or “not having” a specific competency, from other sources, such as the competencies included in ProInspire’s
staff can see what kinds of behaviors demonstrate a competency Leading for Race Equity Impact. In addition, many organizations
at early, intermediate, or advanced stages. choose to create or customize their own competencies to fit the
Keep equity in mind during this process by ensuring the definitions specific needs of their organization.
are based on observable behaviors and do not reinforce certain Test and refine your competency list with input from key leaders and
in-group behaviors. Consider how your definition is influenced by staff within your organization. First, review your list of competencies,
cultural norms that advantage individuals with certain backgrounds or sub-competencies, and scaled definitions, considering the following
educational experiences over others. For example, are formal diction, questions:​
precise grammar, and a neutral accent critical for the competency of
communication? Sometimes those kinds of indicators are legacies • Is there language that needs to be changed to be understood by
of historical exclusion that created “ceilings” for the advancement your staff?​
• Do the competencies align with your organization’s equity goals? ​
• Does the progression described in the scaled definitions reflect
Competencies Most Commonly Used by Nonprofits
your organization’s needs?​

Core Competencies Leadership Competencies Once you feel you have a solid list, solicit input from select staff
members who represent a diversity of positions and backgrounds.
• Adaptability • Data-driven management
You can solicit input through surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one
• Collaboration • Decision making conversations.
• Communication • Inclusivity
After input has been collected, take time as a leadership team to review
• Equity mindset • Management under the feedback and refine your list of competencies. Decide whether you
• Mission orientation uncertainty need to refine, add, or remove any competencies to arrive at a final
• Strategic thinking working list of core and leadership competencies, sub‑competencies,
• Ownership
and scaled definitions. And be sure to communicate the final working
• Team development
list to staff so they can understand what will be expected of them.
and motivation
Once you’ve gone through this initial process, consider revisiting the
Source: The Bridgespan Group competencies every few years and refining them as needed to ensure
continued alignment with your organization’s strategic goals.

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 Align on a set of competencies

SELF
CORE
Core competency: Ownership

Overall definition: Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when
relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work

Early stage Intermediate Advanced The scaled decisions

note specific
Taking ownership Taking ownership Taking ownership
behaviors that are part
• Meets established policies, quality • Sets and meets challenging goals for • Assesses the consequence of errors of early, intermediate,
and performance standards areas of responsibility upon others and takes accountability
and advanced
• Is responsive to supervisors, • Identifies needed adjustments in own • Determines the resources needed to demonstration of
colleagues, and clients areas of responsibility enable success and procures them
this competency.
• Work products are complete, • Tries alternative approaches when • Has a consistent track record of
accurate, timely and understandable faced with obstacles and setbacks always being prepared, delivering on
• Has a “get-it-done” mindset • Acknowledges and learns from time, and owning every details of
mistakes without blaming others their responsibilities This competency has
• Maintains confidentiality with
sensitive information Quality of work products • Sees their responsibility beyond the two sub-competencies:
scope of their own work; views their taking ownership
Quality of work products • Work products (e.g., reports, team’s work as their responsibility
documents, files, etc.) are and quality of work
• Work products (e.g., reports, Quality of work products
consistently complete and accurate products.
documents, files, etc.) are generally
complete and accurate • Has a consistent track record of being
prepared and delivering work that
meets or exceeds expectations

Bridgespan's sample competency bank can be found here.

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 Align on a set of competencies

LEADERSHIP
Leadership competency: Decision making
Overall definition: Effectively structures and facilitates decision-making processes;
makes decisions effectively and responsibly to improve organizational health and impact

Early stage Intermediate Advanced The scaled decisions

note specific
Gathering and interpreting data Gathering and interpreting data Gathering and interpreting data behaviors that are part
• Developing an understanding of what • Regularly identifies critical internal or • Advises team members on deriving of early, intermediate,
data needs to be gathered external data needed to inform insights from data and advanced stage
• Able to read and interpret data decision making • Creates and implements systems to demonstration of this
Executing decisions • Derives insights from data and makes facilitate regular data review, competency.
suggestions based on findings reflection, insight generation, and
• Identifies when to own the decision
Executing decisions continuous improvement
and when to include others
• Draws upon data, best practices, or • Makes necessary decisions in a timely Executing decisions
specific job expertise to make timely manner even when information is • Is trusted throughout the This competency has
limited or unclear organization to make and follow
decisions two sub-competencies:
• Considers implications of decisions through on decisions
• Effectively gathers input from gathering and
stakeholders when appropriate – and and demonstrates follow through • Considers both the long-term interpreting data, and
incorporates diverse perspectives • Owns and stands by team decisions strategic direction and short-term
outcomes of decisions executing decisions
• Effectively explains the rationale for • Gains buy-in from team and other
decisions related stakeholders • Shares the consequences of past
decisions with team to collectively
guide future decision making
• Holds team accountable for decisions
and progress against them
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Bridgespan's sample competency bank can be found here.

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 Co-create development plans

.2 Co-create professional development plans using the 70-20-10 model

What are 70-20-10 development plans? How to get started

• First introduced by the Center for Creative Leadership, the Select one to three competencies to focus on. Staff members should
70‑20‑10 model of development says that 70 percent of learning reflect on their own ambitions and discuss them with their managers.
and development should come from on-the-job learning, 20 percent Questions to consider include: “What would ‘wild success’ mean for
from coaching and mentoring, and 10 percent from formal learning my role for the next year?” and “Where do I hope to be professionally
through trainings, conferences, self-study, and other educational five to 10 years from now?” Staff members should use this forward-
opportunities. looking thinking to select the one to three competencies that would
help them achieve those near-term and longer-term goals.​
Why are 70-20-10 development plans important? ​ Fill in the development plan with actions or resources to develop
• The 70-20-10 approach to development highlights that the each of the competencies. Development planning is more effective
most effective professional development happens on the job. when guided by the 70-20-10 approach. In practice, this means
This job-related learning can range from special projects and staff members map out specific actions they will take for on-the-job
stretch assignments to more modest expansions of a role. learning (70 percent), coaching and mentoring (20 percent), and
When tightly integrated with specific coaching and more formal formal learning (10 percent) to help grow a specific competency.
learning opportunities, such learning can be especially powerful (One thing they won’t need to do, however, is measure 70 percent,
and effective. 20 percent, and 10 percent; those ratios are just a guideline.) For each
• 70-20-10 plans both help individuals explicitly lay out the steps of the competencies selected, staff members should identify which
they will take to develop certain competencies and provide a way resources they will leverage to help grow their skills, then fill them in
to share and track progress, allowing other mentors and managers on the 70-20-10 Development Plan Template.
to support individuals in their development.
Support direct report(s) in creating their development plans. The
best plans are not created in isolation but are co-created and used by
Key resources​ direct report and manager together.

• 70-20-10 Development Plan Template (PowerPoint) In the co-creation process, take an asset-based approach by ensuring
• 55 Competency-Based Ideas for Professional Development ​ the focus and framing is on building individual strengths as opposed
to solely remediating deficits. In addition, keep equity in mind by
acknowledging any barriers to development staff members may
experience, such as less access to growth opportunities and fewer
supports for success, and brainstorming ways to remove these barriers.

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 Co-create development plans

EXAMPLE: 70-20-10 Development Planning Template

Example 70-20-10 development plan

Name Supervisor’s name Development period Last updated

Willie B. Grisel L. Jan – June 2022 Jan 15 2022

Development plan
Priority competency On-the-job learning Coaching and Mentoring Formal learning
and development goal 70% 20% 10%
Ownership: Serve on our "Housing" taskforce; Solicit support from Elena (from Read "The 80/20 principle: The
Effectively manages own work, assume responsibility for key our M&E team) to better secret of achieving more with
and work of teams when relevant, deliverables and milestone understand how to build less."
ensuring delivery of high-quality tracking (with supervisor’s dashboards and internal tracking /
work. support). Flag to supervisor if monitoring systems. Get tools or
falling behind so we can jointly templates from her as necessary.
troubleshoot and make sure that
effort is right-sized.
Decision making: Participate in the annual strategic Meet with Chief of Staff as a coach Read: Adams, M.G. 2009. "Change
Effectively structures and planning process as a co-initiative throughout the planning process; your questions, change your life:
facilitates decision-making lead; create a plan to solicit input debrief after each key decision- 10 powerful tools for life and
processes; makes decisions and share that plan with my making point and reflect on what work" to think about how best to
effectively and responsibly to supervisor before starting. worked well, what didn't, and solicit input.
improve organizational health what to do differently next time.
and impact.
Note to reader: Note to reader: Note to reader:
These activities do not necessarily The main thing to figure out is who This is often about inspiration or
need to be large-scale. Identify should be coaching; your knowledge transfer to broaden
actions that are incremental and supervisor may not be the right your perspective or teach you
Choose between deliberate: the focus should be on coach for each development codified tools or skills that may not
1-3 priority gradual growth that doesn’t priority. It should be someone with be used within your organization.
competencies on overwhelm you with additional the right skills or expertise to
which to focus for responsibilities. coach you. The right coach may
even be outside your organization.
the time period of
the plan. 1

This development plan template is available for download and tailoring to your organization here.

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 Support development conversations

.3 Support ongoing development conversations

What are development conversations? How to get started

• Development conversations are two-way conversations in which Decide on expectations for these conversations within your
a manager and direct report “check in” on a development plan and organization. Organizations should ensure managers and their
provide feedback to each other regarding what is going well and direct reports dedicate time to discuss professional development
how to improve. and specifically to check in on their 70-20-10 plan.
• The main goal of these conversations is for managers and direct Organizations should set expectations around the frequency
reports to have consistent, productive conversations about growth of development conversations. Conversations should happen
and development centered on a set of competencies critical consistently—quarterly, at a minimum, though some organizations
to success. find more frequent pacing, such as every six weeks, is helpful so that
• Successful development conversations require managers to staff don’t lose momentum. These meetings should be supplemented
function more like coaches who have developed their own ability by ongoing feedback, particularly after a positive milestone or
to help staff grow. setback, to support ongoing staff development.

Help managers become effective coaches by pairing accountability

Why are development conversations important? with equitable supports. An important assumption driving the success
• Development conversations are really what makes this system of development conversations is that managers take on a coaching
of development work. Without strategies to support these role and are willing and able to prioritize the growth and development
conversations or accountability structures to ensure they happen, of their direct reports. However, to be sure, there is an inherent risk
organizations run the risk of having 70-20-10 plans “sit on the shelf” in this dynamic: inequities could arise if managers coach in different
and not actually be used to support the development of staff. ​ ways and at different levels of consistency or quality. Organizations
can minimize that risk by holding managers accountable for playing
the role of a coach to their direct reports while providing them with
Key resources equitable supports to help them succeed.
• Bridgespan’s Tips for Effective Coaching
• National Equity Project’s Coaching for Equity Resource Book
• Harvard Business Review’s “The Feedback Fallacy”

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 Support development conversations

There are many ways organizations can support managers in this • How will we know if this process is equitable and inclusive?
transition—really a mindset shift—from manager to coach. To start, One of the biggest risks of any type of talent-related process
consider these questions and related tactics: is that biases can hamper our judgment, leading us to be
inadvertently unfair to the people we’re managing. How will you
• What commitments will you ask managers to make? Defining
know if this is happening? Consider potential indicators (e.g., track
and clearly communicating shared expectations is an important
who gets the most desirable stretch roles—a scarce resource—and
first step to ensure those expectations are met (e.g., proactively
disaggregate that data) and how you can gather input from a range
scheduling and holding regular development conversations with
of sources about how the process is going so you’re not limited by
direct reports). In addition, think through ways managers can
blind spots.
model their own commitment to these principles.
• Do managers need additional resources for professional Lead by example at the executive level. If managers and their direct
development? Consider what resources can be offered so managers reports are expected to be serious about creating and using 70-20‑10
can effectively support their direct reports and whether differential plans, the leadership team should model the same commitment. Each
supports should be offered. At a minimum, offer trainings on the member of the leadership team should have their own 70-20-10 plan
competencies prioritized by your organization as well as 70-20-10 that they’ve co-created with a manager (often a peer or board member,
plans to ensure managers and staff understand how to use these in the case of senior executives). When leadership team members
tools in practice. share and reference their own development priorities and plans, it
sends a message that growth is important, there’s no stigma around
• How are we holding managers accountable? Consider how you
development planning, and it’s worth dedicating time to development.
can elevate the visibility of those doing this work exceptionally
and identify when managers are missing commitments or are off When an organization’s top leaders model vulnerability—the idea that
the mark. A concrete example we have seen at many organizations everyone, no matter their level or seniority, is still working to develop
is to elevate “people development” as a leadership competency and improve—it can send a powerful message across the organization
in and of itself, then identify ways to assess performance on this and create a sense of psychological safety for others across the
dimension by gathering feedback from staff. organization to do the same.

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 Make it stick

4 Make it stick: Embed these tools into existing talent systems

Nonprofits and NGOs can help these tools and practices—competencies, Integrate competencies into talent-related processes across the
development plans, and development conversations—gain traction organization. For these leadership development strategies to take
within their organization with deliberate roll-out plans and by hold, consider where and how they can be woven into the following
integrating with other talent systems. staff-related systems or other processes unique to your organization.

Plan for an effective roll-out. As you prepare for this roll-out, your • Recruitment: The competencies you elevated as critical for current
leadership team can ask the following questions: staff should likewise be important as you recruit new individuals
to join your organization. Consider incorporating competencies in
• With whom should we roll out the 70-20-10 process? While job descriptions and touching on them explicitly in the interview
some organizations choose to roll out leadership development to process to ensure new employees know what it takes to succeed
all staff, there are other options. They might fully implement only at your organization from day one.
for managers, for example, with or without an abbreviated version
for frontline staff. Or they might begin by testing out the process • Talent management: You may already have an annual talent
with a small group, then expanding the roll-out as time goes on. management cycle in place, such as doing performance reviews
in the same month every year. Some organizations decide to add
• How should we phase and pace the roll-out? Organizations development planning to their existing cycles (e.g., following
have different starting points, so they tend to set the speed and performance reviews, they might work with direct reports to identify
staging of their roll-out according to their individual situation. development priorities and co-create an updated 70‑20‑10 plan).
Organizations that have competencies in place already might start In this way, the development plan is distinct from the performance
by implementing new competencies. Those already doing some reviews but builds on job needs discussed during that process.
development planning might roll out the new process as part of
their next development cycle. And those doing this for the first • Succession planning: One of biggest benefits of investing in the
time might roll out by region or department. development of homegrown leaders within your organization is the
clear bridge to succession-planning efforts. This is where coaching
• How can we most effectively communicate with staff about of talent against a set of leadership competencies can help ensure
this process? Staff members may be apprehensive if they hear that you develop and retain the talent and leadership required to
rumors about new systems that have implications for their career. steward your organization and its impact for years to come.
So it’s important to have consistent talking points and a clear
plan for communicating to staff members. Organizations might Lastly, organizations will want to continually assess (using input from
decide to gather wider input on the competencies in some form, a diverse range of perspectives) how to keep refining their leadership-
as a way of helping to familiarize staff with the competencies and development system so that it’s equitable and doesn’t unintentionally
foster engagement with them, before rolling the system out. include or reinforce barriers to development across lines of difference.

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