In response to the leadership transition issues raised by many of the existing NGO leaders, the Association of Foundations, with funding support from the Peace and Equity Foundation, developed the 10 leadership competencies of an NGO leader. These competencies will serve as the anchor in building and sustaining a pool of highly competent and committed NGO leaders in the Philippines.

In the recently held CODE-NGO Social Development Celebration at the Ateneo de Manila University, Joji Abot-Camelon, Project Officer from AF, discussed the the leadership competencies of NGOs in the Philippines and what competencies an effective NGO leader should have using the Philippine NGO Leadership Competencies framework.

Among the issues raised were: (1) aging leaders and board members; (2) difficulty of tapping and capacitating second liners in the organization; (3) encouraging the youth sector to stay in the development sector; (4) keeping the organization’s mission and vision alive with the help of its second and third liners; and (5) dynamics within the organization on who to groom as the second liners. Sectors need help in coming up with next generation leaders.

AF’s “NGO Leadership Transition Study” results also showed that Executive Directors plan to leave the organization during the next five years. Retirement and health concerns are among reasons why.

Before coming up with a leadership training program, there is need to assess which competencies have to be addressed. The assessment is important so that interventions may be tailor-fitted. Because there is difficulty in identifying the capacities of the current staff, there is difficulty in training them. The research addresses this concern.

As a result of the session, participants agreed upon the following recommended actions:

• There is a need to have a capacity development support program for organizations.
• Create a successor generation plan and consider a change management plan
• Consider using the assessment tool since this might solve the various organizational problems. The tool contains behavioral indicators which are observable.
• The target of the module are the executive directors. Once the program is finalized, this can be availed by with a minimal training fee