Executive Transition Monographs

This series of monographs on executive transition management is funded in part by the Casey Foundation and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund.

Building Leaderful Organizations: Succession Planning for Nonprofits

This publication presents emergency succession planning tools (an important “risk management” practice). It offers executive directors guidance on when and how to leave an organization, and includes suggestions for boards to assure the sustainability of their organizations. more >>

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Capturing the Power of Leadership Change: Using Executive Transition Management to Strengthen Organizational Capacity

This report highlights the challenges associated with executive transitions and describes the model of executive management transition that has been used in the last decade. It also details opportunities for funders to further develop and implement strategies to better cope with executive management transitions.  more >>

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Founder Transitions: Creating Good Endings and New Beginnings: A Guide for Executive Directors and Boards

This guide examines the unique challenges presented by transitions involving founders or long-term executives. It provides clear advice for executives and their boards in confronting the complex issues these transitions present. more >>

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Interim Executive Directors: The Power in the Middle

This paper explores the benefits and basics of using an interim executive director during a leadership transition. It also highlights some considerations that organizations should take into account when deciding whether or not to use an interim executive director.  more >>

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Next Shift: Beyond the Nonprofit Leadership Crisis

This is the second monograph in a series on generational shifts in the non-profit sector. In this monograph, the authors counter a variety of proposed interventions from infrastructure organizations and present an alternate to the current crisis framework. The authors posit that by applying a crisis framework to the transitional trends in the non-profit sector, leadership ignores the rich opportunities that lay ahead. The authors make suggestions as to how the non-profit sector can embrace this time of change and have positive outcomes. more >>

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Stepping Up, Staying Engaged: Succession Planning and Executive Transition Management for Nonprofit Boards of Directors

This publication focuses particularly on board leaders. It provides a set of practical perspectives, hands-on tools, brief case studies, and useful resources to help board chairs, officers, and members take a proactive approach to preparing their organizations for a transition. more >>

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Up Next: Generation Change and the Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations

Research indicates that leadership transitions from the Baby Boom generation to Generations X and Y will become more common within the nonprofit sector. This report delivers a series of recommendations on how a variety of stakeholders can improve the hand-off from this generation of leaders to the next.  more >>

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