Executive Transitions: Embrace the Dynamics, Avoid the Perils
Barry Dornfeld, along with Christine McEntee, Senior Advisor, CFAR and Shawn Boynes, CEO, American Counseling Association, present this session as part of the 2023 ASAE Fellows Retreat.
Leadership transitions present important opportunities and risks around organizational identity, strategy, and culture, and board/staff dynamics for any association. Yet organizations do not often adequately prepare for these transitions, and many departing CEOs and their newly placed leaders and boards struggle to ensure a smooth transition that provides appropriate appreciation to the outgoing leader while, at same time, pivots to support the new leader and ultimately future organizational success. While finding and hiring the best candidate is the central focus of a transition, organizations can benefit from more robust management of the change and culture dynamics underway between and among the board , the outgoing and incoming leader, and staff. Support throughout the transition both before and beyond the initial hiring enables the conditions for long-term success for the new leader and the organization. This interactive session will draw on writing about organizational transitions, case examples and simulations, and best practices for recognizing and guiding the interplay of the many dynamics present in leadership transitions.