I spoke with a new executive director who had been elevated to that role after serving as deputy director. She described how her board created a transparent search process to make sure she was a good fit for the position. She further explained that going through an interview process was also good for her because it helped her articulate her strengths and vision. Develop a Profile to See if an Internal Candidate Is a Good Fit As told by an Executive Director somewhere in the US Transitions matter and people don’t think enough about succession and leadership. For the last… Read more
Category: Hiring ED or CEO
Boards Must Democratize Decision Making
We have been in lockdown nearly a year. I reached out to a board chair who serves on several boards and asked him to reflect on the impact of this turbulent year. The lessons he learned were about the need for communication, transparency, and democratizing decision making. We Need to Shine a Light on Board Work Told by a Board Chair Somewhere in the US I serve on several boards. All are focused on children and youth. They are unique organizations and the last year has played out differently for each. COVID Forced Re-prioritization of New CEO Hire For one… Read more
Keep Funding and Over-Communicate During Transitions
I recently received a call from the Executive Director of an organization that I have supported since it was founded. I have been a consistent major donor and love the organization’s mission. The ED called to tell me he is leaving the organization. I asked him a bunch of questions – about why he was leaving and what he was going to do next. After I felt assured that he was not being pushed out and that there was not an issue with the organization, I wished him good luck and asked him to keep in touch. He then said,… Read more
Expert Advice on Hiring a New Executive Director
I wanted to finish off my exploration of hiring a new executive director or CEO by asking an expert. Melissa Merritt has done executive searches for twenty years including ten years in the nonprofit sector. She shares her insights about how a board can prepare for a search and what makes the process most successful. This post is my final in a series about hiring a new CEO or Executive Director. The first post talks about a successful process. The second addresses how the outgoing ED should be involved. The third talks about the need for diversity on the search… Read more
An Executive Director Search that Went Wrong
This post is my fourth in a series about hiring a new CEO or Executive Director. The first post talks about a successful process. The second post addresses how the outgoing ED should be involved. The third post talks about the need for diversity on the search committee to avoid unexpected bias. In this post, the board member reflects on racial and gender bias and a flawed process where a close decision was rushed without examining objections to the candidate. Strategies for Getting the Right Person for Your Organization By a Dedicated Board Member, Somewhere in USA These events happened… Read more