Executive Succession: Closing the Gap Between Ideals and Practice

Authors

  • Don Tebbe
  • Amanda J. Stewart North Carolina State University
  • Mary Bear Hughes Georgia Center for Nonprofits
  • Tom Adams Raffa PC

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-2017-V7-I4-8640

Keywords:

nonprofit executive transition, succession planning, executive transition management, interim executive leadership

Abstract

At the 2016 Alliance for Nonprofit Management–ARNOVA joint conference sessions, we participated in a panel discussion that explored the gap between ideals and practice during nonprofit leadership succession, particularly chief executive succession and transitions. The panelists explored the fact that despite substantial philanthropic investment toward formalizing approaches to succession planning, executive transition management, and interim executive leadership, and despite nearly two decades of efforts toward making these approaches into mainstream management practices within the nonprofit sector, a significant gap remains between practice ideals and actual practice. The results of the session, including implications for practice and future recommendations from the audience of practitioners and researchers, can improve the on-the-ground practice of this key governance responsibility.

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Published

2017-10-16

Issue

Section

2016 Alliance for Nonprofit Management Conference