| |
| |
| Exhibits | |
| |
| |
| Foreword | |
| |
| |
| Preface | |
| |
| |
| Acknowledgments | |
| |
| |
| The Authors | |
| |
| |
| |
| Finding Your Way as Executive Director | |
| |
| |
| |
| Understanding This Big Job | |
| |
| |
| What are the roles and responsibilities of an Executive Director? | |
| |
| |
| What is the difference between a leader and a manager? | |
| |
| |
| When should an Executive Director lead, manage, or support others? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Developing as an Executive Director | |
| |
| |
| What can Executive Directors do to self-reflect on skills they wish to develop on the job? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director find the time for professional development, and what opportunities are available? | |
| |
| |
| When are executive coaches helpful to an Executive Director? | |
| |
| |
| When the going gets really tough, how does an Executive Director stay inspired? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Finding Balance in the Role of Executive Director | |
| |
| |
| Why are Executive Directors so susceptible to burnout? | |
| |
| |
| How can I find balance as an Executive Director? | |
| |
| |
| How do I set boundaries on my work life so I still have a personal life? | |
| |
| |
| Where do I find the time to do everything an Executive Director has to do? | |
| |
| |
| How can an Executive Director delegate when everyone is already busy? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Executive Director as Visionary | |
| |
| |
| |
| Understanding Nonprofit Organizational Culture | |
| |
| |
| What does organizational culture mean? | |
| |
| |
| How does understanding the organization's culture help the Executive Director be more effective? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director determine what the organization's culture is? | |
| |
| |
| What are some strategies for changing or moving an organization's culture to where it needs to be in order to be successful? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Embracing Your Organization's Values | |
| |
| |
| What are organization values and how are they found within an organization's culture? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director establish values as the guiding principles in the organization? | |
| |
| |
| What is cultural competence and why is it so important? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director lead a culturally competent organization? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Creating a Vision and Plan | |
| |
| |
| What is a vision and why is it important? | |
| |
| |
| How does the Executive Director lead the way to having a shared organizational vision? | |
| |
| |
| Why is planning important to an organization's vision, and what is the Executive Director's role in this process? | |
| |
| |
| If you're always in crisis or catch-up mode as an Executive Director, how do you find time to plan? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Determining Organizational Effectiveness | |
| |
| |
| What does an effective nonprofit organization look like? | |
| |
| |
| How soon after starting should the Executive Director begin to examine the organization's effectiveness? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director tie personal performance and effectiveness to that of the organization? | |
| |
| |
| What happens if the Board and Executive Director determine the organization is no longer effective? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Executive Director as Change Agent | |
| |
| |
| |
| Embracing a Changing Nonprofit Environment | |
| |
| |
| Why is change synonymous with the identity of the nonprofit sector? | |
| |
| |
| What role does the Executive Director have in making change happen outside the organization? | |
| |
| |
| How are the lines that have traditionally defined the business and nonprofit sectors changing? | |
| |
| |
| What can the Executive Director do to influence funders' efforts to shape the nonprofit sector? | |
| |
| |
| How does the Executive Director manage effectively through boom-and-bust economic cycles? | |
| |
| |
| What are some of the new demands for accountability and measurable outcomes in nonprofits? | |
| |
| |
| How are rapid changes in technology impacting the nonprofit workplace? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Understanding Changing Life Cycle Stages in Nonprofits | |
| |
| |
| What life cycle stage is my organization in? | |
| |
| |
| What skills does an Executive Director need in each stage? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Leading Organizational Change | |
| |
| |
| How can Executive Directors help their nonprofits embrace a healthy change process? | |
| |
| |
| What is the Executive Director's role and that of the Board, other staff, and volunteers in a change process? | |
| |
| |
| How soon after a new Executive Director is hired should a change process begin? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Executive Director as Relationship Builder | |
| |
| |
| |
| Nurturing a Relationship with the Board | |
| |
| |
| What are the attributes of an effective Board, and what does it take to create one? | |
| |
| |
| What does a healthy relationship between a Board and its Executive Director look like, and how is it established? | |
| |
| |
| How does one differentiate between Board and Executive Director responsibilities? | |
| |
| |
| What information does the Board need, and how often? | |
| |
| |
| Who makes what decisions in a nonprofit? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Developing Relationships with Individual Board Members | |
| |
| |
| How important is the relationship between the Executive Director and the Board Chair? | |
| |
| |
| What do you do if problems arise between you and the Board Chair? | |
| |
| |
| What should an Executive Director do with a renegade Board member? | |
| |
| |
| If Board members are not fulfilling their responsibilities, what can an Executive Director do? | |
| |
| |
| How much influence should an Executive Director have when recruiting new Board members? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Establishing Productive Staff Relationships | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director who is new to an organization build quick credibility with paid and unpaid staff? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director encourage positive relationships and establish a healthy culture among staff and volunteers? | |
| |
| |
| What are ways to build leadership and management skills among paid and unpaid staff? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director work across the generations to have staff work productively together? | |
| |
| |
| What are strategies for establishing strong lines of communication with staff? | |
| |
| |
| How can technology aid relationships and be used as an effective communication tool with staff? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director offer and receive support from staff and volunteers while keeping an arm's-length relationship? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Following the Founder | |
| |
| |
| Why do relationships with Founders in transition tend to be so complicated? | |
| |
| |
| What is the best way for an Executive Director to work with a Founder who is still a member of the Board of Directors? | |
| |
| |
| What does the Executive Director do if the Founder is causing serious problems for the organization? | |
| |
| |
| What are the pros and cons of having the Founder stay on as a staff person or consultant? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Executive Director as Community Creator | |
| |
| |
| |
| Engaging External Stakeholders | |
| |
| |
| Who are an organization's external stakeholders? | |
| |
| |
| How can the Executive Director develop and nurture relationships with key stakeholders? | |
| |
| |
| How does an Executive Director rally stakeholders for advocacy? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Embracing Partnerships and Collaboration | |
| |
| |
| How can Executive Directors assess the values and risks of leading their organizations into partnerships? | |
| |
| |
| What are ways organizations can work together informally, and how does an Executive Director make this happen? | |
| |
| |
| What forms of partnership exist beyond collaboration? | |
| |
| |
| How can Executive Directors prepare their organizations to enter into partnerships? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Executive Director as Resource Wizard | |
| |
| |
| |
| Ensuring Sound Financial Management | |
| |
| |
| What are the major differences between for-profit and nonprofit finances? | |
| |
| |
| Who takes the lead in fulfilling the various financial management roles in a nonprofit? | |
| |
| |
| What financial reports do the Board, staff, and volunteers need to see and how often? | |
| |
| |
| What is the Board's role in the budgeting process? | |
| |
| |
| After the Board passes a budget, what authority does the Executive Director have to implement programs or contracts? | |
| |
| |
| If there is a financial crisis, what does the Executive Director tell the Board and staff? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Sustaining the Organization with Team-Based Fundraising | |
| |
| |
| Who has the primary responsibility for raising money in a nonprofit? | |
| |
| |
| How much of an Executive Director's time should be spent raising money? | |
| |
| |
| Where do nonprofits find funds for overhead costs of administration and building infrastructure? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Executive Director in Transition | |
| |
| |
| |
| Planning for Healthy Transitions of Leadership | |
| |
| |
| Why is succession planning important? | |
| |
| |
| How can an Executive Director integrate practices that support succession planning throughout the organization? | |
| |
| |
| Where does continuity or knowledge management fit within the framework of succession planning? | |
| |
| |
| What does an emergency succession plan look like? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Moving On: Making Your Own Career Transition | |
| |
| |
| How will I know it is time for a career move? | |
| |
| |
| Why is the decision to leave so difficult for the Executive Director and the organization? | |
| |
| |
| How can the departing Executive Director make the leadership transition run smoothly? | |
| |
| |
| What are some typical career paths for former Executive Directors? | |
| |
| |
| Conclusion | |
| |
| |
| Resources | |
| |
| |
| Index | |