Your Board of Directors needs a plan for contingencies due to the disability, death or departure of the Chief Staff Executive or a catastrophic loss of staff. Many associations employ only one staff person serving as executive director or, if they employ additional staff, do not have an internal candidate capable of assuming the role of chief staff executive should the executive leave without notice. If the organization is faced with either an untimely or planned executive vacancy or a catastrophic loss of personnel, Leading Associations offers an emergency succession plan and interim executive service to facilitate a transition to either short-term or long-term leadership.
Our Emergency Succession and Interim Executive Service can assist the Board of Directors in responding to the following leadership issues:
- Temporary, Unplanned Absence: Short-Term – Should the Chief Staff Executive experience a temporary, short-term event that leaves them entirely or partially unable to work for the short-term (less than three months).
- Temporary, Unplanned Absence: Long-Term – Should the Chief Staff Executive experience a temporary, long-term event that leaves them entirely or partially unable to work for the long-term (more than three months but not indefinitely).
- Sudden Permanent Loss of Chief Staff Executive – Should the Chief Staff Executive resign without notice, be terminated abruptly, die or experience a permanent disability that prevents them from working.
- Planned Departure of Chief Staff Executive – Should the organization's Board of Directors and/or the Chief Staff Executive pursue a planned departure and need interim executive leadership while an executive search is completed.
- Catastrophic Loss of Staff – Should a natural or man-made disaster or accident result in a temporary or permanent loss of staffing.
Immediately following the untimely departure of the Chief Staff Executive, Leading Associations will assume temporary management of the association until the Chief Staff Executive returns if the absence is temporary, or until a replacement executive is hired if the absence is permanent. Leading Associations will also assist in management of the crisis communications plan, if necessary. While you are searching for new executive, Leading Associations can keep your organization operating at peak performance during the transition.
Having a succession plan in place – Key Personnel Insurance, if you will – is not only a good idea, but is an expression the board's Duty of Care and stewardship of the organization.
