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Practical guides for executive directors navigating transition
Credentials got you the role. Credibility gets you the influence to actually do it. Your board hired you for your resume — your staff will decide whether to follow you based on something different entirely.
Read article →Hard conversations don't destroy cultures — avoiding them does. A four-move framework for new Executive Directors.
Read article →You walked into a team that already existed. They have relationships, loyalties, habits, and fears that have nothing to do with you. The first 90 days with inherited staff is not about management — it's about trust archaeology.
Read article →Most 30-60-90 day plans are written for corporate executives — but nonprofit EDs inherit something different. A phase-by-phase framework built for the real complexity you're navigating: staff trust, board relationships, and a mission that doesn't pause for your learning curve.
Read article →The first 90 days aren't about strategy — they're about trust. A week-by-week framework for building the relationships and credibility that set your entire tenure up for success.
Read article →You were hired because of your competence — but competence won't build trust in the first 90 days. The relationships that matter most, the landmines that break trust before it forms, and the one habit that changes everything.
Read article →Your first board meeting sets the tone for the whole board relationship. The three things to know before you walk in, how to structure the meeting so you're leading it — not just attending it — and what to do in the 48 hours after.
Read article →Week-by-week priorities for your first 90 days, distilled into one practical guide.
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