Often boards and search committees have no prior experience with an executive search process or they have experience with an executive search which did not work out well. Naturally boards and search committees have many questions about the search process, questions which The Art of Hiring Leaders is designed to answer.

Excerpt from Chapter One

Early questions and concerns

When the board of a nonprofit organization is facing a change in leadership it is naturally anxious about the responsibility, the process and the outcome. A board and its search committee will have questions immediately and other questions will emerge throughout the course of the search. The intent of The Art of Hiring Leaders: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations is to answer the full range of questions.

Some of the first questions board members may have are:

• What is our role?
• What do we tell our constituents and when do we tell them?
• How do we find a great executive director?
• How do we explain our organization and its potential to people who do not know us?
• How long will the process take and how do we manage while the search is underway?
• What are the best ways to reduce anxiety during the search?
• Who should be on the search committee?
• With so much to do, why should we spend precious time planning?

In the next phase, some of the questions may be:

• What are the most effective ways to get the word out?
• Can we attract talented women and people of color?
• Do we have to do more than just advertise?
• How do we learn to interpret resumes?
• What is the secret of interviewing well?
• Is it best to minimize our problems when talking with candidates?
• How can we be sure that references are telling us all we need to know?
• How do we support the success of our next executive director?
• What is the guarantee that our next leader will stay ten years or longer?

The goals of the book

An overview of the goals:

• To help boards, and their appointed search committees, find the right leader for the
  organization’s future success,
• To create a process which people trust and respect,
• To help people see how leadership transitions can be opportunities to invigorate and
  strengthen their organizations,
• To describe how to combine “big picture thinking”, which provides a strong foundation
  for the search, with a step-by-step process that makes it all work,
• To support a successful search by providing a common base of information so that each
  search committee or board member is a knowledgeable participant and continues
  to learn throughout the process,
• To help boards and search committees use their knowledge to make good decisions for
  their organizations, and
• To encourage a thoughtful transition process to support the success of the new executive
  director.

Who will the book help?

Any nonprofit organization which uses a search committee in the process of hiring a leader can benefit from the material contained in this book. The breadth of information will provide an overview of topics critical to the success of the search and the transition, including strategic thinking about board development and organizational goals. Short chapters describe how to understand each phase of the search and use that understanding to create a successful search process.

The level of detail can guide boards or search committees who are beginning their first search process. It can also guide those who were not satisfied with the process or the results of an earlier search. Organizations that cannot afford to hire a consultant can use the book to develop an overall plan, carry out each phase of the search knowledgably and learn to make informed decisions throughout the process.

The methodology described in this book has supported the work of many search committees and boards in fields as varied as education, the environment, social services, human services, the arts and philanthropy. Some of the organizations were faith-based; this methodology could be used by search committees entrusted with the task of selecting pastoral leaders.

Although nonprofits differ in size, maturity and purpose, the steps described in this book can be tailored to fit individual organizations. Some of the topics are universally applicable. 

• Each organization can create search materials uniquely its own which describe mission, history, programs, goals and the leadership it is seeking,
• Each organization can learn to identify its board and leadership needs and to reach a new stage of development in the process, and
• The information on networking, evaluating applications, interviewing and conducting references is applicable to any nonprofit.

While nonprofits differ in some characteristics, they have some things in common -- each is supported by a board of directors and by a leader/executive director. This book includes several chapters on boards and leadership, critical components of a successful search. Chapter Three explains how boards develop, the natural growth processes and ways to strengthen the effectiveness of any board, at any stage, during the search process. Chapter Five describes the significant ways that leadership needs change as an organization grows and develops, information which would help a search committee define its current leadership needs.

If you would like to review the book and are an association executive (who has not received The Search Handbook) or a foundation officer who might recommend the book to your members, contact the author at (617) 437-0850 or by completing this form.