Leadership Competencies in Non-Profit Organizations: Insights from Qualitative Research

Abstract

The ever-changing environment required non-profits to adapt more effective leadership skills. This study provides an understanding of the characteristics of competent non-profit organization leaders. A qualitative phenomenology methodology was used, with 15 individual in-depth interviews with leaders from a non-profit organization in Saudi Arabia, leading the data collection process. Thematic analysis was applied to generate themes. The results revealed six main leadership competencies in the non-profit sector: 1) passion and altruism, 2) organizational advocacy, 3) instilling community support, 4) focus and strategy, 5) trust and delegation, and 6) continuous self-learning and agility. The findings suggest that leaders in different non-profit leadership organizations should possess six categories of competency to overcome internal and external challenges effectively. The study’s findings contribute to the understanding and exploration of the nature of leadership competencies in non-profit organizations, and can be beneficial to similar contexts.