Nonprofit + Leadership = Nonprofit Leadership?

The study of leadership is a fascinating area of inquiry. What are "leaders?" Why do we follow "leaders?" What constitutes "leadership?" What are the determinates, correlates, and effects of "leadership?"

These are all interesting questions that have relevance in any organizational setting (whether government, for-profit, or nonprofit).

However, I wonder if the teaching of leadership has been reserved for the sectors that are often believed to be more "idealistic,"... such as the nonprofit sector...

Very rarely will you find a degree program in public sector management and leadership... let alone in corporate management and leadership. But, there are many degree programs in nonprofit management and leadership.

Take for instance most of the doctoral programs in leadership (which by the way, two new programs were added to the list recently: James Madison University has created a School of Leadership Studies and now offers a PhD in Strategic Leadership, and Indiana Tech University now offers a PhD in Global Leadership), most of these programs have concentrations in higher education leadership, K-12 education leadership, and nonprofit and/or community leadership. But, in corporate leadership... or in government leadership... there are hardly any.

So, since nonprofit programs seem to focus on leadership more so than do programs in other sectors... has the leadership emphasis made a difference?

Do nonprofit "leaders" have greater potential for "leadership" than public sector or for-profit leaders?

This is a very difficult (and probably nearly impossible) question to answer with a definitive "yes" or "no." Indeed, the subjective nature of leadership would likely cause a great deal of measurement bias.

But, in looking at the way that leadership is often talked about in the nonprofit sector: "the leadership deficit," it's hard to believe that the nonprofit sector (at least academically) has a greater leadership emphasis than does the government or the for-profit sector.

As chairman and co-founder of the Bridgespan Group wrote, "One of the biggest challenges facing nonprofits today is their dearth of strong leaders – a problem that’s only going to get worse as the sector expands and baby boom executives retire." (Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer 2006)

Thus, although the nonprofit sector has a greater academic focus on leadership and is believed to be more "idealistic," than other sectors, it's not quite certain if this idealism has manifested into actual leadership yet.

Nonprofit + Leadership = Nonprofit Leadership?