I had the auspicious opportunity to work with Bob as our spiritual organization was going through a Founder's transition process. Bob's first-hand experience with such transitions as well as his depth of knowledge and emotional maturity made the tender process engaging, collaborative, and successful for all involved. His warm, approachable demeanor and sincere care for his clients is a rarity in today's world. I would highly recommend him.
-La Sarmiento, Board President and Teacher, Insight Meditation Community of Washington
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Founder/Long-Term ED Transitions
Founder/Long-Term ED (LTE) transitions are pivotal moments in the life of an organization. When the person who birthed the organization, nurtured and supported it (sometimes for decades) decides to step down, a lot of emotions and anxieties surface for the founder/LTE, staff, board, participants, and other stakeholders.
The board and staff need to step up in new and different ways. And, the departing has to start stepping back and letting go. Not as easy as it sounds.
The staff and board may ask:
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How will the organization survive without our founder/LTE?
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What skills does the successor ED need?
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Will some of our funders and donors jump ship?
The Founder or LTE may ask:
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How will the organization survive without me?
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What will I do next after devoting my life to the organization?
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Should I step away completely or keep some role (like staying on the board or helping with fundraising)?
A thoughtful and experienced partner can help you answer all those questions honesty, respectfully, and with an abundance of curiosity. Contact me to learn how a combination of coaching and consulting will help you with this crucial transition.
Board Engagement
The board dilemma can be summed up as follows: Board members are part-time volunteers governing and overseeing a full-time mission. And, on top of that, they need to partner with the executive director and staff to ensure the organization has the resources it needs for optimal mission impact.
Many boards struggle to sustain:
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Effectiveness,
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Efficiency, and
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Engagement.
Building a board culture that can provide governance, be responsive to organizational needs, raise resources, cultivate board leadership, and effectively (and appropriately) partner with staff requires ongoing work, commitment, and accountability.
Whether your board needs fine-tuning or a major overhaul, I can help! I’ve helped many boards transition from low-performance to high-performing organizational partners.
