‘The real issue is about moral compasses in leadership.’ This was the statement made by Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in the UK, on leadership development in civil society organizations (CSOs) last month.

He suggested that many of the biggest challenges that leaders face, now more than ever, are not technical matters but ethical ones and candidly questioned the extent to which leadership development equipped people to make difficult judgment calls on such issues.

Etherington, and much recent global media attention, links the increasing demand for moral and ethical judgments to the changing relationship between CSOs and the state.

One example is the anticipated rise in state-based regulation, sparking concern in some corners over damage to CSO’s freedom to campaign, advocate and pursue charitable missions more generally.

Such situations present tough tensions and choices for those leading CSOs in an increasingly constrained civic space. One response to such environmental pressures is to ‘professionalize’ or become more business-like by adopting practices imported from the for-profit world.

This phenomenon has been widely promoted by states, civil society media and practitioners and adopted by many CSOs in many countries.

Supporters claim business-like, professionalized approaches make CSOs more effective, efficient, accountable and financially disciplined. Others fear that conforming to such pressures threatens the very identity and distinctiveness of civil society organizations and the health of local democracy.

There has been considerable academic attention to this area, with NVSQ articles usefully exploring the causes, structure and processes, and effects of becoming business-like as well as how the professionalization of practitioners occurs.

Beyond this, specific approaches and practices that encourage democratic renewal, participation and critical thought within our field have been identified, including: