Yay! We have a new CEO....said no nonprofit staff - ever.

Last year, I met a young woman who said that the hardest part about finding her place in a nonprofit organization was how much the culture and fundamental values of the organization are shaped by the personality of the leader. "It's so personality driven," she lamented, "so it makes it that much harder to figure out the rules of engagement."

To be sure, today's nonprofit sector has benefitted from years of "professionalization" aimed at giving us do-gooders the tools, knowledge, and strategies we need to increase the impact of our best ideas for tackling seemingly intractable social problems. The last 20 years has seen an explosion in the number of degree programs focusing on nonprofit leadership - and every top business school in the country has gotten in on the action. Still, there's no blueprint for "doing good" right. Every organization has stated and unspoken rules of engagement, all of which can be influenced by staff, constituents, and board members alike.

Some organizations have successfully implemented policies, practicies, and outcomes metrics that minimize the reliance of "shoot from the hip" management and decision-making strategies, and have learned to employ systems that support transparency and process fairness. But, even those efforts can be tricky. As a CEO, I can tell you that sometimes its hard to discern what information and decisions my team and I agree belong in the public sphere, and how to determine processes for getting the work done without leaving someone feeling undervalued and slighted.

Today's workforce is an emerging mix of Baby Boomers, Generation X and Y folks (this is my crew), and Millennials who often see the world of work very differently. As a result, I've seen traditional notions of "Senior Management" and "Line Staff" blown up. Today's workforce understands that the folks who are in the trenches expect a say in how, when, and with whom they do their work. While some of us may have been trained to follow existing processes, protocols and procedures even when we felt devalued, there is a new crop of nonprofit employees who have no problem writing damaging and anonymous missives to boards of directors when they aren't satisfied with the rate of progress, or simply don't like decisions that effect their work (Ahh, the infamous nonprofit anonymous letter - that's another post).

I offer this context to say, even as I've entered my third role as CEO, I have yet to be received with unquestioning open arms by any team I've been hired to lead. (Close your mouth - don't look so surprised!) This reality is made even more intense when my leadership follows a long period of employee unhappiness, perceived abuses by management, and lack of clarity about roles, responsibilities, transparency, and power. Folks may have been waiting with baited breath for the old guard to walk out the door ("I swear, I could have done more - but the CEO was terrible," they lament.), but the truth is that my arrival as a new CEO is often a real and imagined shrill alarm that even more change is on the horizon - and nobody likes change that they don't control.

Anyone who hires a new manager to "stabilize the staff" is living in a fantasy. A new boss is often a signal to run for the hills! LOL The fact is that people will leave when there is new leadership in place - they will leave to protest old wrongs, they will leave because there was something about the previous dysfunction that served them well - despite all their complaining, and they will leave in search of stability or new opportunities. Even when the fundamental mission and operation aren't up for debate, new leadership is a signal of change - and that's unnerving for most people.

How have I weathered my CEO transitions? Every situation is different. Here are some tips that have worked well for me.

1. Put your wand in your pocket. I learned a long time ago that listening and asking questions is the best way to enter an organization I hope to lead. Sure, I come in the door with the title, but leading the team is something you earn. And, because I've got a pretty good CV (#BlackGirlMagic), I don't have a sense of urgency to make knee jerk decisions to show the board I know what I'm doing, or to show the staff that I'm in charge. I never want to risk losing some aspect of an organization that is precious or valuable because I was too busy grandstanding to listen to what folks had to say about their work and its impact. Put that magic wand away, and start learning what makes the organization a compelling place to be.
2. Don't front. I'm pretty honest. I don't mind saying when I don't have the answer or when I'm still working to understand an issue more deeply. People are nervous when there's a new leader on the scene. The last thing they want to have to navigate is whether you're telling the truth about your plans for the organization.
3. Don't take it personally. When I took my first turn as an executive director, I took every resignation as an affront. Now? Meh. Maybe people are leaving because they don't like you, or your leadership style. But, people are probably leaving for reasons that have nothing to do with you - more money, different opportunities, a new career interest, a shorter commute, etc. Listen to Carly Simon! This song might not be about you (Did I tell on myself with that one?).
4. People are scared. A trusted colleague once confessed to me that when she heard there would be a new CEO, she told her team to get their resumes out and dusted off. "She's going to want her own people," she warned. People may hear what you say, but they really don't know what to expect from you. In fact, one of the greatest compliments I received from a former staffer who left with the "she's gonna fire everybody" hysteria was that she later realized that she left too soon and missed out on the mentoring and support she now knows she would have received if she had stayed. A new boss can be like living in the same house, with a new partner showing up and moving all your furniture around. It's discombobulating!
5. Don't be discouraged. Executive leadership can be isolating and frustrating and incredibly rewarding. But, the satisfaction of seeing your mission amplified and changing lives never grows old. Spend the early part of your leadership tenure showing up with integrity and building credibility with the staff and board. Remember that sometimes your leadership also signals the disruption of bad behavior. At one organization, I walked into a situation where one team worked feverishly through the summer, while another team enjoyed 2-3 hour lunches because their only responsibility was "planning" during the summer months. In another case, folks left because my presence disrupted "secret deals" - i.e. some folks had permanent work-from-home agreements, while other staff were denied that flexibility. Remember that every good bye isn't a bad one.
6. Move with intention, but move! It's important to remember that some things really are in need of close attention and the shifting they require will be pretty obvious for the experienced CEO. Don't sit there like a deer in the headlights because you're worried about how your vision will be perceived. Be transparent, be inclusive, be thoughtful and intentional, but be bold. You were asked to lead for a reason. Bring your best self, most awesome ideas, and new energy to help ignite a new era in this leadership role. The welcome mat may be delayed, but it won't be denied for long.