Npo Succession Strategy

Profile of the Organization

Trouble has hit a nonprofit organization situated in an urban environment that has a population of approximately 100,000. The organization serves about 8,000 people including children and adults. This large nonprofit serves a community through robust programming including sports, tutoring, childcare, and summer enrichment. However, the CEO has resigned. The Board has five resignations and has taken a substantial level of financial support with them. There remains eight Board members. Before the resignations, there were two existing open seats on the Board. The Board is a 15-person Board when full. The second in charge has declined the CEO positions. Now, you are in charge. You are the CEO.

The Regional leadership is requiring implementation of new technology within one year of now, which includes a smartphone app that handles record management and recipient engagement. Among your governance body, and central administrative officers, growing concerns have mounted over the past five years. Concerns have included decrease in large gift donations, push back or lack of enthusiasm in leadership about adopting innovations in your field of service. The organization has yet to adopt much of the new innovations due to lack of experience, and training at all levels of the organization. In addition, relative to the innovations, there is increased expectations and pressure from service recipients, the community, and civil society to adopt innovations. In this leadership transition, what you do during your first 100 days has the potential to establish your foundation as a true leader.

Introduction

The first 100 days are critical because that period of time has held special significance for any leader taking the helm of an organization. you set a strong tone about how you want to run the company. As an incoming leader, you are the subject of unrelenting scrutiny while on one of your steepest learning curves. Neff and Citrin (2015) studied over 100 of the most notable leadership transitions. From that, they conjured an eight-point plan for the first 100 days:

1. Prepare yourself during the countdown.

2. Align expectations.

3. Shape your management team.

4. Craft your strategic agenda.

5. Start transforming culture.

6. Manage your board/boss.

7. Communicate.

8. Avoid common pitfalls.

The Countdown

Much like the first 100 days of a new presidency, one will need to exhibit vision before one has any answers and porous enough to absorb a sea of information. Ideally, one has already looked at financial