By Brian Kreeger
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September 15, 2022
A few keys to a solid Board/CEO relationship are honesty, integrity, and displayed vulnerability among the parties. But that does not always come naturally as the leader many times fears that showing imperfection and fallibility will damage their position or the organization. Being able to start, and maintain, a relationship culture that allows for a leader to exhibit who they truly are greatly increases the likelihood of avoiding a leadership fall. This relationship decreases the likelihood of isolation and loneliness in the role of nonprofit executive leadership, which is the source of most leadership falls. But where does the relationship start? Believe it or not, the relationship between the board and the executive starts before they are even hired. As the board sits around the table working to determine the profile of their ultimate candidate, many times what is considered are things like education, past experience, community involvement, standing in the community, expertise in the particular mission, fundraising potential, demonstrated ability to create and maintain culture, and general personal stability. This is typical, and each one of those points is very important. They are all “musts.” (This blog focuses on starting a conversation centered on preventing the fall of nonprofit leaders. I write it from a Christian perspective, but all leaders will benefit. Be sure to sign up to receive these articles via email every Tuesday at briankreeger.com as well as taking a look at previous blog articles. In addition to receiving these articles two days before they hit social media, you will receive the article "5 Early Indicators of a Christian Nonprofit Leadership Fall" along with the Contents, Introduction and the Appendix (My story) of my book, The Courageous Ask: A Proactive Approach to Prevent the Fall of Christian Nonprofit Leaders. )