❓ Have you ever worked for a nonprofit where a great employee was promoted—only to struggle as a manager?
I once worked with a nonprofit where the executive director—let’s call her Mary—was the perfect example of how not to lead. She had all the right credentials on paper, but in practice, she was a disaster.
From day one, Mary made it clear that she believed leadership meant control. She micromanaged every decision, from how emails were worded to what time staff took our lunch breaks. She had no trust in her team and would override even the most experienced staff, often undoing work just because it wasn’t done her way.
The real turning point came during a major grant deadline. The team and I had been working on it for weeks, but the night before submission, Mary decided she didn’t like the proposal’s tone and rewrote half of it—introducing errors and completely ignoring funder guidelines. The proposal was rejected. When asked about it, Mary blamed the team for “not catching the mistakes.”
Morale plummeted. Employees who had been passionate about the mission started disengaging. Some left altogether. The nonprofit’s work suffered, and eventually, so did its funding.
The worst part? Mary never thought she was the problem. She never sought feedback, never adapted, and never understood that leadership is about empowering, not controlling.This is a common challenge. The traditional career trajectory for many professionals is to develop strong specialization skills, then to be promoted after a few years into management.
The Challenge of Moving Specialists Into Management
Nonprofits elevate high-performing staff into leadership roles, assuming their success as specialists will translate into strong managerial skills. But leadership requires a different skill set—one that many new supervisors and managers don’t receive training for and in fact runs counter to the skills we need as specialists. Without proper training, nonprofit managers may face issues with team management, communication, compliance, and decision-making, leading to high turnover, operational inefficiencies, and even legal risks.
But leadership requires a different skill set—one that many new supervisors and managers don’t receive training for and in fact runs counter to the skills we need as specialists.
The Promotion Trap: Why Many Nonprofit Managers Struggle
A Great Employee Doesn’t Always Make a Great Leader
In the nonprofit sector, passionate and dedicated employees often rise through the ranks, but passion alone isn’t enough to lead a team effectively. Many individuals in leadership roles have never had formal training. They may find themselves struggling with supervision, communication, and legal responsibilities—simply because they were never trained for leadership.
The Challenge:
- Great fundraisers, program directors, or administrators don’t automatically make great leaders.
- Managing people requires a different skill set than being a high-performing specialist.
- Without training, managers may struggle with decision-making, team dynamics, and compliance.
Why Being a Great Specialist Doesn’t Equal Being a Great Manager
Nonprofit specialists are promoted based on expertise, not leadership skills.
But managing a team requires:
✅ Setting goals & expectations
✅ Motivating & coaching staff
✅ Handling conflicts & performance issues
✅ Ensuring compliance with labor laws and other regulations
How does training benefit nonprofit organizations? It bridges the gap between technical expertise and leadership skills, ensuring managers thrive in their new roles.
The Key Skills Every Nonprofit Manager Needs
This month, we are going to highlight the key skills managers and leaders need to be successful. From technical expertise to essential soft skills and the legal responsibilities that come with leadership, we’ll break down what it takes to develop strong, effective managers. Whether you’re stepping into a leadership role for the first time or looking to refine your skills, we’ll be sharing insights, best practices, and actionable tips to help you lead with confidence. Stay tuned as we explore the building blocks of great leadership and how the right training can set managers—and their teams—up for long-term success!need to be successful.
Final Thoughts: Trained Leaders Drive Nonprofit Success
Training nonprofit managers is not an expense—it’s an investment in sustainability & impact.
📌 Stronger leadership = higher staff retention & productivity
📌 Fewer legal risks = better organizational stability
📌 Skilled managers = nonprofits that grow & thrive
📢 How does training benefit nonprofit organizations? It transforms managers into effective leaders, driving mission success and long-term stability.
📢 Ready to build stronger leaders? Visit Pharo Academy today.
Check out our Free Resource for New Leaders