What would happen if your CEO resigned tomorrow?
If your organization is like most others, you likely don’t have a succession plan in place, let alone a capable replacement in the pipeline.
Fortunately, organizations typically receive more than 24 hours’ notice. But regardless of how much time they have, the point still holds: nonprofit boards are generally ill-prepared for their CEO’s departure. In fact, in a 2015 survey of nonprofits, researchers at Stanford University found that over two–thirds (69 percent) lack succession plans, a shockingly high figure given that every CEO inevitably leaves office.
The challenge is even more acute in the Jewish world. Over the next few years, the vast majority of Jewish nonprofits will need to hire new CEOs. These leaders, in turn, will set the direction of their organizations for the next decade or more. It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of the Jewish community depends on our ability to ensure that the best candidates are placed in these vitally important roles, and then both enabled and empowered to succeed.
Leading Edge, an organization focused on building a robust leadership pipeline for Jewish nonprofits, has just released a CEO Search Committee Guide that lays out best practices for CEO searches and applies them to the Jewish nonprofit sector. It was prepared for Leading Edge by Eben Harrell, a senior editor at Harvard Business Review, a publication dedicated to using best-in-class research to improve the practice of management and leadership. The guide distills the most important elements of a search and presents them in a practical and accessible way, serving as a foundation from which boards can conduct searches with the greatest chances of success.
Over the years, I have been involved in executive searches for many important Jewish organizations and almost always found the process quite challenging. The Leading Edge guide contains a number of suggestions and recommendations that I wish my search committees had known—and followed—at the time:
Leadership transitions are a time of great opportunity and great risk for organizations; a successful search can catapult the group to the next level and a bad hire can set it back for years. That is why even the most seasoned boards should seek support with their searches, and make sure their processes are as strategic and objective as possible.
By adhering to the principles outlined in the guide, boards will give themselves the best chance to conduct successful searches. They will emerge from the process stronger and led by able executives who, with proper oversight and support, will shape the Jewish community in a positive direction for years to come.
To download the CEO Search Committee Guide, go here.
Sandy Cardin is former President of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation and former Chair of the Board of Directors of Leading Edge. Sandy is a frequent presenter and panelist in global forums on topics related to a variety of issues.
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