How Long Should an Executive Director Stay?

For longtime nonprofit leaders, the thought of stepping away can raise some uncomfortable questions: Who will care about the mission as much as I do? Who knows what I know? And who is truly equipped to take the reins?

One exercise worth considering: Look at the three biggest things you worked on this year and label each one “defending” or “building.” How much of your energy is going toward protecting what already exists, and how much is focused on preparing your organization for what comes next?

It’s a simple exercise from a recent Applied Wisdom for Nonprofits article, “How Long Should an Executive Stay in the Job?” The author explores how longtime leaders can naturally become more focused on protecting what they’ve built and raises some thought-provoking questions about leadership longevity and preparing an organization for its next chapter.

Read the article here.