Leadership Transitions

“Finding the Right ED: Creating and Managing an Effective Search Committee,” Bridgestar, 2007. This article gives very practical steps for forming and building a search committee, tips on selecting a search firm, and a step-by-step outline for managing the entire search process.

“Interim Executive Directors: The Power in the Middle,” Tim Wolfred, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services.  The Executive Transitions Monograph Series, published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2005. This paper details the benefits of hiring an interim and the process for making the experience successful.

“Six Ways to Know If It’s Time to Leave,” by Tim Wolfred, Blue Avocado, October 4, 2009. This article is directed toward executive directors who are trying to decide if it’s time to move on. Wolfred and his associates have developed six indicators -- each with some follow-up steps -- to help with the thinking process. Reprinted with permission from Blue Avocado, a practical and light-hearted magazine for nonprofits. Subscribe free by sending an email to editor@blueavocado.org or at www.blueavocado.org.

“Stepping Up: A Board’s Challenge in Leadership Transition,” Tim Wolfred, Nonprofit Quarterly, Winter, 2002. This article discusses important aspects of transitioning to a new executive director, and the board’s crucial role in making that transition a success. www.NPQmag.org