Board Members as Interim Executive Directors
The worst happens. The organization loses the E.D., to a higher paying position and, after a quick salary survey, the Board realizes it is underpaying the top executive according to the local market. The financial statements indicate teetering on the edge of red and no new grants on the horizon.
A well meaning Board member speaks up at the gloomy board meeting and offers her time to "tide us over." A grateful Board president, knowing she has worked in the business sector, accepts. "Just while we recruit. We'll save money for a few months and then we can pay the higher salary." Recruitment begins immediately. The Board member and Board president meet with the staff the next day to explain the plan. The President goes off, and the Board member begins her new dual role.
She tries hard, but had no idea how much the Executive Director really did. Her company had someone to handle personnel issues, IT, and the building. As a board member, she knew the basic program but not the details of running it day to day. Watching cash flow is something to remember, but how do you project ahead without steady revenue? Where did the former executive keep track of grant deadlines? Is it really necessary to attend meetings in the community when there is so much at the office? After all this is a volunteer position. She spends about 25-30 hours a week on the job. The former E.D. spent 50-60 hours.
In the meantime, the Board is recruiting based on the former Executive Director's job description, updated a little based on the H.R. board member's recommendation. There was never discussion about future direction. The strategic plan was completed eight months ago. No one thought to look to see what new skills might be needed to achieve the plan. While the Board is recruiting - got to get it done fast - the Board suspends asking questions of the Interim Board member on organizational progress because "after all, she is a volunteer."
In the meantime, staff morale is plummeting. They see work not being done. Power plays begin to emerge and latent personality conflicts arise. But because it is a board member in the E.D. role, no one feels safe to bring up the issues. Instead, they begin to put feelers out for other jobs.
Worst of all, because the former E.D. left things in a good place, the organization runs on auto pilot for several months while these issues bubble. The internal decline is not yet noticeable to the community or the board members. In fact, in can take a year or more, depending upon how long it takes for the new E.D. to be hired, what grants are not written, what is not being addressed in fund development, and the financial strength before the previoust E.D. left. When the financials reflect the decline and the slow departure of staff becomes noticeable, the Board no longer connects the situation to the initial acceptance of a board member as an interim E.D.
What can be done instead? Promote someone within the staff to serve as Interim E.D. or hire from without the organization for a 6-9 month period. Define expectations in advance, realizing that not all things can be accomplished, and adjust expectations at the board level as well. Conduct a diligent review of the needs of the organization based on its current and desired future state. This portion might also be included in the Interim E.D.'s role to provide the board with more detailed information than they could be expected to determine themselves. Board members would not be intimately involved with day to day operations. Then update the E.D. job description and salary level to begin recruiting. Board members retain their role and the organization stays on a more even keel operationally.
