Should Staff Be Included in the Search Process for an Executive Director?

by Anna Stone
Senior Search Consultant, The Moran Company
“We Find Great Nonprofit Executives”

When we partner with nonprofit organizations and associations to meet their executive search needs, they often ask about including staff members in the search process. Should employees participate in the choosing of their next Executive Director or CEO? This can be a complex and delicate matter.

The answer is “yes and no”. Let us explain. YES, there is often much to gain by giving staff members the opportunity to share their valuable insight and feedback with us, as search consultants, and the Board Search Committee. NO, they typically should not be part of the final decision-making authority when it comes to making the actual hire.

Having the right balance of staff participation is important. If the pendulum swings too far one way or another, there can be challenges. At The Moran Company, we partner closely with organizations to find the right approach.

Here are several pros and cons to staff involvement in the search process that are worth consideration by the Board prior to beginning a nonprofit executive search:

Pros:

• Being able to participate in the search process in any way helps employees feel included, and their insights are valuable to the Board and Search Committee.
• Having a transparent understanding about the recruitment steps and hiring timeline calms staff members’ fears and anxieties about the upcoming leadership transition.
• Being able to share feedback and have an open dialogue about what attributes are important in their next leader educates both staff and Board members in order to align their thinking, consider or perfect recruitment strategies, and increase agreement with the final hiring decision.

Cons:

• There can be challenges with protecting candidate confidentiality throughout the search, especially if peers within the same sector are applying for the position quietly.
• Scheduling complications and workload pressures can arise if staff feel torn about prioritizing their participation in the search process over their day-to-day duties for the organization.
• If staff members want someone different from the Board’s choice, it can cause frustration.

During a nonprofit search for an Executive Director, everyone must have clearly defined roles. In our experience, employees should NOT serve as voting members of the Search Committee. Instead, they should be able to focus on their primary duties within the organization while staying informed about the overall progress of the search and being offered opportunities to share knowledge and feedback with decision-makers. At the very least, there should be a plan to keep staff informed about the process and the timeline for decisions.

At The Moran Company, we enjoy helping organizations find creative ways to engage their employees in the search process whenever appropriate to ensure decision-makers have a well-rounded view of the agency’s needs. Their insider knowledge and unique perspective is key. Plus, planned and structured participation promotes trust, transparency and buy-in when it comes to onboarding their new Executive Director and setting the stage for a smooth leadership transition.

We have partnered with many clients who have successfully engaged employees during an executive search. For example, one organization was in the process of replacing a longtime leader. The Search Committee was interested in external candidates with new ideas, but our collective conversations with employees revealed interest from an internal candidate who was very popular among staff members. When the decision was made that the internal candidate would not move forward in the interview process, the Board was prepared for the impact it would have on some of the personnel and set aside extra time to meet with them about the decision. They also invited staff members to interact with the external final candidates and took their feedback to heart. In the end, these extra steps allowed employees to feel a part of the search process. Plus staff members were able to see the qualities within the new hire that the Board recognized as being good complements to their existing internal expertise. In the end, all of the employees were comfortable with their new Executive Director and thought the Board made a good decision.

The Moran Company has guided many organizations and associations through successful nonprofit executive searches. We have the experience to partner with the Board, staff members, and other stakeholders. Be sure to read more about specific ways employees can participate in various phases of the search process in the partner piece to this article called, “How to Engage Staff during a Nonprofit Executive Search.” And as always, to learn more about how The Moran Company can assist your nonprofit with an upcoming executive search, simply contact us for a free 30-minute consultation.

© 2019 The Moran Company, “We find great nonprofit executives.” We specialize in searches for nonprofit executive directors, directors of development/fundraising staff, and other top nonprofit leadership. www.morancompany.com