A Board Member Says Thank You

Categories: Board Member RolesTags: · · · · · 3 Comments

I want to devote this column to what I am thankful for as a board member. The Native People Were Awesome! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I was taught in school that the Pilgrims and the Native People broke bread to celebrate a bountiful harvest. I was also taught that the Pilgrims wanted to thank the Native People for helping them survive their first year on this soil. This was ostensibly the first Thanksgiving. That story is mostly a myth, one that overpowers the true story of how European settlers treated Native People. I say it is mostly a myth because I… Read more

An Executive Director Search that Went Wrong

Categories: Board Member Roles · Good Board Practices · Hiring ED or CEO · Succession PlanningTags: · · · · · · · · · · · · · 3 Comments

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

Unexpected Bias Reveals Need for Diversity

Categories: Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board Practices · Hiring ED or CEO · Succession PlanningTags: · · · · · · · · · · · · 2 Comments

This post is the third in a series about hiring a new CEO or Executive Director. The first post is the story about an effective search that resulted in a great CEO. The second post included three stories which explored how the outgoing Executive Director might be (or not be) involved in the search process. This post tells a story about a new President of a community college – a minority, immigrant woman — who faced challenges after being hired. The board chair sadly recognized that race and gender bias were a big issue. He acknowledged that had he and… Read more

Potential Pitfalls: Role of Outgoing CEO in Hiring Replacement

Categories: Good Board Practices · Hiring ED or CEO · Succession PlanningTags: · · · · · · · · · · 3 Comments

In my last post, I started a series on the most important job for a nonprofit board: hiring an Executive Director or CEO. I shared a story about a rigorous search process that resulted in a great CEO for the organization. Several years later, board members were still happy with their choice and the individual I interviewed outlined what was done well – and some changes that could be made in the future. In this second part of the series, I recount three stories – from one individual – which examine if and how an outgoing CEO should be involved… Read more

Hiring a New CEO or Executive Director

Categories: Board Member Roles · Board, Board Chair, ED/CEO Roles · Good Board Practices · Hiring ED or CEOTags: · · · · · · · · · · · 8 Comments

Hiring a new CEO or Executive Director is one of the most important jobs – if not the most important job — for a board. You are hiring the person who represents the organization, sets its direction, and motivates its staff and stakeholders. As I interviewed board members around the country, the significance – and the difficulty – of making the right decision came up over and over. So, I am going to dedicate several posts to this topic. And I am going start with a story of a successful CEO search – one where several years down the road,… Read more