My goal when I begin an assignment as the Interim Executive is to leave the organization and the board of directors in a position to attract the best possible candidate(s) for the permanent leadership position of the nonprofit going forward.
Obviously the work required to get to that goal depends on where the organization is at the beginning. Often the board is unaware of the operational challenges and even the extent of the financial challenges. Often the board itself is in need of self-examination as to its governance and structural deficits that can impede making the best choice for the future leadership of the organization.
When a board uses an external Interim Executive they get the benefit of experience, fresh eyes and honesty about what is needed going forward. They also benefit at the end of the engagement from the experience of someone who has served in the position as the Executive Director and therefore has the intimate knowledge of the needs of that job when crafting the job announcement and developing criteria for the search committee.
An additional value is having the Interim available for overlap with the new leader as they begin their new position and streamlines the learning curve for the new Executive. This does not reduce, in any way, the board’s major responsibility for onboarding and supporting the recently hired Executive in their new role. The Interim can help the board chair establish realistic first year goals with the new hire and ultimately set up a healthy evaluation process for the end of the first year.
After the Interim has spent the time and effort completing an organizational assessment, bringing the organization up to date with policies and procedures, and has initiated best practices in operations and governance, the new leader can begin their job looking forward. They have entered an organization ready to move ahead.
As with so many challenges in life, beginning with the end goal in mind prepares everyone involved for the best possible outcome.
If your nonprofit needs an interim executive director, please get in touch with Interim Executive Network today.
Author Janice Frey-Angel is an experienced interim executive and a founding member of the IENetwork.
