The Leadership Partnership: Board Chair and CEO

Welcome to the second issue of Korngold Leadership Advances (KLA). These editions are designed to be useful to business people, nonprofit board members, and nonprofit funders and executives who are leading the way in taking the nonprofit sector to new heights in strengthening our communities - regionally, nationally, and globally.

The horizontal (x) axis shows the extent to which the CEO (or executive director) is effective; the vertical (y) axis indicates the extent to which the board chair is effective. The key for a nonprofit to optimize success is to have a strong and effective CEO and board chair partnership. Additionally, leadership succession planning is essential for future success.

Leaders: Plot your nonprofit in one of the four quadrants and note the remedy (or caveat).

If you did not receive Issue 1 of KLA (on board matching) and you would like to, feel free to request a copy by e-mailing melanie@korngoldconsulting.com.
 
CEO

 

Chair

Underperforming CEO

+ CHAIR
– CEO

  • Tension between board and staff
  • Revenues not maximized
  • Organization’s potential not realized
  • Might lose board and staff members

Remedy
Improve CEO’s performance, or replace CEO

 

  

On the Rise

+ CHAIR
+ CEO

  • Clear focus and direction
  • Maximizing revenues
  • Engaging board
  • Engaging staff
  • Producing strong results

Caveat
Plan for leadership succession
     
Downward Spiral

– CHAIR
– CEO
  • Lacking leadership and direction
  • Revenues plunging
  • Organization unproductive
  • Losing staff and board members

Remedy
Small group of board members or funders need to replace board, who need to replace CEO; or merge organization into another

  

Underperforming Chair

– CHAIR
+ CEO

  • Tension between board and staff
  • Revenues not maximized
  • CEO frustrated and will eventually leave
  • Organization’s potential not realized

Remedy
CEO rarely in a position to replace chair, so board members need to replace chair through leadership succession process
 
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© 2008 Korngold Consulting LLC
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Questions or Comments
This is derived from p. 171, Leveraging Good Will: Strengthening Nonprofits by Engaging Businesses
(Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint, 2005) by Alice Korngold