Your organization is about to embark on a leadership transition. Depending upon your perspective, this can be a time of great opportunity or great concern — and potentially both.
Overseeing the hiring of a new executive director or president represents the most important work a board can do. Usually through a search and selection committee, the board must assess your organization as it stands today, consider what it can become in the future, and determine who is the best person to take the organization forward.
This work is never easy, but asking the following questions at the beginning of a transition will increase your chances for an effective search process and longer-term leadership success.
1. Do we have the right people around this table? Your first recruiting exercise is to recruit the search committee. Choose engaged members who bring diverse perspectives and who can commit the time to serve.
2. Do we all agree about what we are seeking in a new leader? Begin with a review of strategic planning documents and the current job description, and then discuss expectations of what success will look like for the new leader.
3. Do we need to pause before we proceed with a recruitment initiative? Hiring an interim leader can buy time for additional planning and is always an option.
4. Should we try to recruit the new leader ourselves? Consider time, money, politics. Think realistically about whether the committee can manage this type of project given current constraints on the volunteers around the table.
5. How would we select an external search firm to assist us? If you interview executive recruiters, be prepared to question them about their specialty areas, their years in the field, their approach to managing committee decision making, the candidate-evaluation process, and what they need from you to be successful.
6. How can we use this search as a PR and communications opportunity? During a search process, a nonprofit often shares information about the organization with hundreds of people. What do you want to say? What insights do you want from the community?
7. How can we use this search as a donor-engagement or stewardship opportunity? Most likely, many people care about your organization. Consider finding ways to incorporate their input into the search process. This includes staff, donors, grantees, and other stakeholders. Donors are usually very grateful, even honored, to be asked, via a phone call or email message, for their input about a leadership transition.
8. What questions should we be asking candidates? Think about how you will evaluate candidates, including leadership style, core values, cultural fit, external relations profile, etc. Also remember that the best candidates ask the best questions. They are interviewing you as much as you’re interviewing them.
9. How much should we pay this next leader? Job candidates read 990s. They know what your last leader earned. Are you knowledgeable about what the market will pay for the type of candidate you wish to recruit?
10. How can we ensure we’re not doing this search again in 12 months? A search isn’t done when an offer is signed. Consider providing 90 days of orientation, training, and other coaching as needed to ensure that the new leader gets off to a successful start.
The authors are co-founders of Ballinger-Leafblad, an executive recruiting firm.