CASE STUDY 1

A Transition of a Long-Term Executive

NEED:

A well-known organization serving youth needed to find an executive director to replace their beloved executive director of 42 years. The organization was also celebrating its 50th year. The change the organization was about to experience was going to be significant.

APPROACH:

We actively engaged the board and staff in assessing the internal realities — which were significant — as well as the opportunities soon to be available, which would include fresh ideas and new approaches. Community stakeholders and funders also shared their perspectives on future possibilities for the organization. With transparency at the forefront, the board fully embraced a thorough search that resulted in an abundance of candidates. We also guided the board in fully celebrating the current executive director’s legacy and structured how he would be involved in the upcoming 50th year anniversary events. The newly hired executive director was challenged by the shadow cast by the former long-term leader, so we guided the board in managing his ongoing involvement and coached the new executive director in how to establish his vision, new operating practices, and a changed culture.

RESULTS:

The organization is thriving, relevant, and continues its legacy in the community. The executive director essentially built a new team over time, upgraded the space, and established a culture of communication, trust, and transparency.

Read other case studies: Case Study 2 and Case Study 3