| Fall 2005 |
Nonprofit Advisor
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Succession Planning: Tomorrow May Come Sooner Than You Think
Only when there is not a plan does leadership
transition pose a serious threat to a nonprofit organization.
Unfortunately, succession planning usually is near the bottom of a
long list of other board obligations and priorities—if it makes the
list at all.
That is certainly understandable. Board members are often reluctant to tackle
such a time-consuming project—especially when they may be off the board before
the plan is even needed. Others may fear "sending the wrong message" to an
incumbent executive director. Still others believe that, when the time comes, a
search committee will either identify an obvious candidate or put the position
out for search.
Cut Through the Complacency
In the end, it is only the executive director of a nonprofit organization who
can implement the strategic vision and drive the operational success of that
organization. Making sure the right person is in the job is among the most
important—if not the most important—responsibilities of a thoughtful board.
Plan now. A sound succession plan requires a substantial investment of
time to prepare. If an organization urgently needs a new executive director and
the board doesn't already have a succession plan in place, there's not likely to
be enough time to create one.
Capitalize on valuable insight. Planning now also allows your board to
partner with the existing executive director, gaining valuable insights from the
person best positioned to evaluate the organization's future leadership needs in
terms of the strengths and weaknesses of the current staff and the
organization's management dynamics.
Get an outside opinion. Knowledgeable and objective third-party
observers can offer assessments of how the potential executive director is
perceived by the community at large. Likewise, query other pertinent
stakeholders, such as the philanthropic community.
Don't look for a duplicate. It is often tempting for a board to try to
replicate a director who has been successful. This is almost invariably a bad
idea. Every executive director, no matter how capable, has at least one area of
weakness.
Editor's Note: Bober, Markey, Fedorovich
& Company frequently works with clients on matters such as
this. Please call your partner / manager contact if you would like assistance in this area.
The Nonprofit Advisor is produced quarterly by Bober, Markey, Fedorovich
& Company's Nonprofit Services Team. If you would like additional information about the services that we can provide to nonprofit organizations, please call or email our team leader, Lori A. Sheets, CPA at 330.762.9785 or
loris@bobermarkey.com.
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