The 10 Things Every New Executive Director Needs to Succeed

​In our line of work, we talk to nonprofit leaders every day that are making career moves. Some are entering executive leadership roles for the first time after putting in their time on boards or in mid-level managerial roles. Some are seasoned nonprofit leaders that are making lateral moves from the helm of one organization to another. Some are coming over from executive leadership roles in industry to the nonprofit sector.

But regardless of where they’re coming from, they enter the role bright-faced and optimistic about their future with the organization. They are excited, ambitious, and ready to succeed!
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There’s just one problem... They can’t succeed alone!

Every new Executive Director placement brings an individual with a unique set of skills and experiences into an organization with unique needs and goals. To effectively unite the two, the organization’s board and existing leadership team needs to provide their new ED with everything that they need to find success. 

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An Executive Director’s Wish List
Time and again we hear new Executive Directors expressing a desire for the same core components to unlock their potential, facilitate their effectiveness, and encourage their retention in the role. These include:

1. Clear expectations on where their role ends, and the board’s role begins around key topics like programming, operational leadership, fundraising, financial oversight, and strategic planning.
2. Guidance on what the organization’s most pressing needs and challenges are currently and how to best prioritize them.
3. Alignment between the organization’s stated mission and day-to-day reality.
4. Knowledge sharing about the fabric of the organization and surrounding community.
5. The freedom to brainstorm ideas and question the status quo without fear of judgement or disappointment from others inside the organization.
6. Someone internal to offer context related to ongoing organizational efforts.
7. Coworkers and board members that are willing to collaborate and roll up their sleeves to get the work done.
8. Staff that are passionate about the work they do and the mission they serve to help make it more than just a job.
9. A friend or confidant to share their concerns and struggles with when things get tough (because even at the best run and most successful organizations, there will inevitably be rough patches from time to time).
10. A mentor and/or coach to help them know how to proceed when unexpected challenges arise.

Giving Executive Directors What They Need
If these components are on a new Executive Director’s wish list, the board needs to do their best to meet these needs through internal resources or provide the right personnel externally to help meet them. The best way to ensure an Executive Director’s immediate success is to use this list in conjunction with a Year 1 Onboarding Roadmap that lays out a transition plan for everything from day-one to the end of year-one. This should start with giving them a foundation to build on and continue with facilitating relationship-building to be an active partner in their early success. In some cases, utilizing third-party leadership coaching or mentoring along the way may be beneficial as well.

When your board needs helping finding, hiring, and onboarding a new Executive Director, we can help! Our team of experienced leaders can offer interim nonprofit leadership during the search and our nonprofit executive recruiters will lead the search to help you find the right candidate. Contact us today to find out more!