Executive Director's Guide to Thriving as a Nonprofit Leader

Mim Carlson is the former executive director of the Berkeley–East Bay Humane Society and is currently interim executive director at Florence Crittenton Services (www.linkedin.com/companies/florence-crittenton-services). With over twenty-five years of experience as a manager and grantwriter, Carlson has trained and consulted nationally and is a former faculty member at the University of San Francisco and California State University, Hayward. Margaret Donohoe is a nonprofit consultant who focuses her experience, insight, and energy on helping a new generation of nonprofit leaders navigate the many opportunities and challenges of this career choice. She has more than twenty-five years' experience in the sector as an executive director, interim director for organizations in transition, and community board member.

• Exhibits xvPreface xviiAcknowledgments xxvThe Authors xxviiPart One Finding Your Way as Executive Director 1One Understanding This Big Job 3What are the roles and responsibilities of an Executive Director? 4What is the difference between a leader and a manager? 8When should an Executive Director lead, manage, or support others? 10Two Developing as an Executive Director 15What can Executive Directors do to self-reflect on skills they wish to develop on the job? 16How does an Executive Director find the time for professional development, and what opportunities are available? 18When are executive coaches helpful to an Executive Director? 22When the going gets really tough, how does an Executive Director stay inspired? 27Three Finding Balance in the Role of Executive Director 31Why are Executive Directors so susceptible to burnout? 32How can I find balance as an Executive Director? 33How do I set boundaries on my work life so I still have a personal life? 36Where do I find the time to do everything an Executive Director has to do? 40How can an Executive Director delegate when everyone is already busy? 45Part Two Executive Director as Visionary 47Four Understanding Nonprofit Organizational Culture 49What does organizational culture mean? 50How does understanding the organization’s culture help the Executive Director be more effective? 53How does an Executive Director determine what the organization’s culture is? 55What are some strategies for changing or moving an organization’s culture to where it needs to be in order to be successful? 59Five Embracing Your Organization’s Values 65What are organization values and how are they found within an organization’s culture? 66How does an Executive Director establish values as the guiding principles in the organization? 70What is cultural competence and why is it so important? 71How does an Executive Director lead a culturally competent organization? 74Six Creating a Vision and Plan 77What is a vision and why is it important? 78How does the Executive Director lead the way to having a shared organizational vision? 79Why is planning important to an organization’s vision, and what is the Executive Director’s role in this process? 82If you’re always in crisis or catch-up mode as an Executive Director, how do you find time to plan? 86Seven Determining Organizational Effectiveness 89What does an effective nonprofit organization look like? 90How soon after starting should the Executive Director begin to examine the organization’s effectiveness? 94How does an Executive Director tie personal performance and effectiveness to that of the organization? 96What happens if the Board and Executive Director determine the organization is no longer effective? 100Part Three Executive Director as Change Agent 103Eight Embracing a Changing Nonprofit Environment 105Why is change synonymous with the identity of the nonprofit sector? 106What role does the Executive Director have in making change happen outside the organization? 107How are the lines that have traditionally defined the business and nonprofit sectors changing? 108What can the Executive Director do to influence funders’ efforts to shape the nonprofit sector? 110How does the Executive Director manage effectively through boom-andbust economic cycles? 111What are some of the new demands for accountability and measurable outcomes in nonprofits? 114How are rapid changes in technology impacting the nonprofit workplace? 116Nine Understanding Changing Life Cycle Stages in Nonprofits 119What life cycle stage is my organization in? 121What skills does an Executive Director need in each stage? 123Ten Leading Organizational Change 127How can Executive Directors help their nonprofits embrace a healthy change process? 128What is the Executive Director’s role and that of the Board, other staff, and volunteers in a change process? 134How soon after a new Executive Director is hired should a change process begin? 135Part Four Executive Director as Relationship Builder 137ELEVEN Nurturing a Relationship with the Board 139What are the attributes of an effective Board, and what does it take to create one? 140What does a healthy relationship between a Board and its Executive Director look like, and how is it established? 150How does one differentiate between Board and Executive Director responsibilities? 152What information does the Board need, and how often? 155Who makes what decisions in a nonprofit? 158TWELVE Developing Relationships with Individual Board Members 161How important is the relationship between the Executive Director and the Board Chair? 162What do you do if problems arise between you and the Board Chair? 164What should an Executive Director do with a renegade Board member? 166If Board members are not fulfilling their responsibilities, what can an Executive Director do? 169How much influence should an Executive Director have when recruiting new Board members? 170THIRTEEN Establishing Productive Staff Relationships 173How does an Executive Director who is new to an organization build quick credibility with paid and unpaid staff? 174How does an Executive Director encourage positive relationships and establish a healthy culture among staff and volunteers? 177What are ways to build leadership and management skills among paid and unpaid staff? 181How does an Executive Director work across the generations to have staff work productively together? 183What are strategies for establishing strong lines of communication with staff? 188How can technology aid relationships and be used as an effective communication tool with staff? 189How does an Executive Director offer and receive support from staff and volunteers while keeping an arm’s-length relationship? 191FOURTEEN Following the Founder 193Why do relationships with Founders in transition tend to be so complicated? 194What is the best way for an Executive Director to work with a Founder who is still a member of the Board of Directors? 195What does the Executive Director do if the Founder is causing serious problems for the organization? 196What are the pros and cons of having the Founder stay on as a staff person or consultant? 198Part Five Executive Director as Community Creator 201FIFTEEN Engaging External Stakeholders 203Who are an organization’s external stakeholders? 204How can the Executive Director develop and nurture relationships with key stakeholders? 206How does an Executive Director rally stakeholders for advocacy? 212SIXTEEN Embracing Partnerships and Collaboration 215How can Executive Directors assess the values and risks of leading their organizations into partnerships? 217What are ways organizations can work together informally, and how does an Executive Director make this happen? 220What forms of partnership exist beyond collaboration? 221How can Executive Directors prepare their organizations to enter into partnerships? 224Part Six Executive Director as Resource Wizard 227SEVENTEEN Ensuring Sound Financial Management 229What are the major differences between for-profit and nonprofit finances? 230Who takes the lead in fulfilling the various financial management roles in a nonprofit? 233What financial reports do the Board and managers need to see and how often? 236What is the Board’s role in the budgeting process? 236After the Board passes a budget, what authority does the Executive Director have to implement programs or contracts? 242If there is a financial crisis, what does the Executive Director tell the Board and staff? 243EIGHTEEN Sustaining the Organization with Team-Based Fundraising 245Who has the primary responsibility for raising money in a nonprofit? 246How much of an Executive Director’s time should be spent raising money? 248Where do nonprofits find funds for overhead costs of administration and building infrastructure? 250Part Seven Leadership in Transition 255NINETEEN Planning for Healthy Transitions of Leadership 257Why is succession planning important? 258How can an Executive Director integrate practices that support leadership succession within the framework of existing strategic planning and management structures? 260Where does continuity or knowledge management fit within the framework of succession planning? 262What does an emergency succession plan look like? 267TWENTY Moving On: Making Your Own Career Transition 269How will I know it is time for a career move? 270Why is the decision to leave so difficult for the Executive Director and the organization? 272How can the departing Executive Director make the leadership transition run smoothly? 272What are some typical career paths for former Executive Directors? 280Conclusion 283Resources 285Index 305