I was recently asked to write up some pros and cons for an organization when it comes to different hiring approaches to take for an upcoming Executive Director transition.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far. Interested in additional feedback.
In my mind, there really are three scenarios for any organization:
Scenario 1: Hire from within without an open search.
Scenario 2: Hold an open search with internal candidates welcome to apply.
Scenario 3: Hire an Interim Executive Director for a 6-12 month period and then figure out whether to move to Scenario 1 or 2.
Scenario 1 (hire from within) Pros/Cons
Pros
- Maximizes odds the new E.D. will be a good cultural fit for the organization.
- Minimizes risk that a new E.D. will try to take the organization in a sharply new direction
- Minimizes the amount of training/on-boarding likely needed.
Cons
- If there are two strong internal candidates, it often leads to the departure of the one not chosen.
- Can lead to insular thinking in the absence of new strategic-level leadership.
- Focus on current organizational culture can limit the ability to achieve a more diverse workplace.
Scenario 2 (open search) Pros/Cons
Pros
- Has the potential to bring in someone with significant new relationships with funders, partners, and potential board member
- The search itself can increase the profile of the organization.
Cons
- Hiring of an external candidate can be discouraging to and even lead to the departure of a strong internal candidate who isn’t selected.
- An external candidate who was strong on paper may prove to be a poor fit in practice.
Scenario 3 (Interim ED) Pros/Cons
Pros
- Someone with expertise in the Interim role can help identify organizational challenges with a fresh perspective and advise the board on the best path forward and give a candid assessment of whether there is, in fact, an internal candidate who’s ready.
Cons
- Additional period of uncertainty for funders/allies.
- Harder for the outgoing Executive Director to “train” their successor.
Additional Notes
- Of course, for some organizations Scenario 1 isn’t even a consideration if there’s obviously no internal candidate potentially available.
- Scenario 3 would normally be used when the departure of an outgoing E.D. is abrupt, without time prepare. But occasionally I’ve seen it selected when the board desires significant change and needs time and expertise to figure out what change is needed.
- Regardless of the Scenario, it’s advisable to have a 1-2 month overlap between the outgoing E.D. leaving that role and the new E.D. taking the helm. During this period, the E.D. plays a training and special projects role.
Are there additional pros and cons that should also be considered of the various approaches?