LEADERSHIP DEFICIT IN THE UKRAINIAN NON-PROFIT SECTOR

Abstract

In Ukraine, the non-profit sector plays an essential economic and community-building role. However, due to inadequate succession planning and training of future leaders, the third sector may face a leadership deficit. Given the pressure on non-profit organisations to become more business-like, and the fact that many non-profit organisations may be required to follow laws set by government funders, non-profit organisations may be able to recruit leaders from the for-profit and public sectors. The purpose of this research is to develop a vision of the third sector in Ukraine and shape leadership approaches in successful non-profits. The study served as an advance in understanding the relationship between a CEO’s prior sector experience and their ability to lead non-profits. Interviews with non-profit CEOs in Odesa were conducted to obtain research results. This study finding showed that prior non-profit experience was more valuable than experience in the private or public sectors in enhancing NPO executives' abilities to lead. This study’s findings may be exceptionally important for leaders of non-profit organisations, especially those who intend to enter this sector with no prior non-profit experience. Furthermore, this study provides evidence of the importance of prior experience in the non-profit sector upon executives’ ability to lead NPOs.