May Flowers & New Beginnings
We hope you are all enjoying the spring weather and the beautiful flowers that come with it. Spring and the downward COVID numbers seem to be energizing many employees to take stock and decide to move on from their current employer. Now is also the time for mission-driven organizations to take stock in what what’s ahead for them.
What do mission-driven organizations have going for ourselves? We are offering meaningful work that makes a difference in our communities. Companies that cannot demonstrate a sense of purpose are missing a motivational tool for their employees. We will see more people move to mission-driven work as they seek that sense of purpose which they are now realizing is important to them.
At the same time, our sector will face challenges. As wages increase across the board, nonprofits and mission-driven organizations will need to stay competitive, especially in our high inflation environment. Managers will likely need to continue to support flexible work arrangements that meet the individual needs of their team members.
We’re starting to see executive directors who had delayed their retirement (likely due to the pandemic) now moving on. These retirements are accelerating opportunities for the next generation of nonprofit leaders, and boards need to be ready.
This leads us to our second topic . . . Selecting and onboarding the successor to your founding ED.
Our experience leading searches for CEOs who are following a founder or long-term leader does not align with the literature on this topic. We agree that organizations should hire an interim leader to assess the needs of the organization and provide some transition time for the team. What we do not agree with is that the next hire will be unlikely to succeed.
The ingredients for success include:
An engaged board that has a good relationship with the organization’s senior leaders
Board consensus on the strategic direction and core values of the organization
A committee (comprised of a sub-set of the search committee) that will support the new leader following their hire
A solid financial footing and well documented records of key funders, stakeholders, and volunteers.
A future focused position description that is aligned with the strategic direction of the organization and not designed in reaction to the leader who is retiring
A clear plan for how the board will support the retiring leader during the transition
Clear and consistent communication to all staff and other stakeholders during the transition.
We hope this list will help you feel more confident as you move through future transitions. Meanwhile, stop and smell the roses – you deserve it!
With appreciation,
Patti, Gerri, & Kelley