A 14-person nonprofit has just learned that its only executive director will leave in 60 days. A funder renewal is pending, staff members aren't sure who can approve expenses, and the board chair is asking whether a press release should go out immediately. The wrong answer is to treat the departure as a single announcement. An executive director transition is a months-long communication campaign, with different messages, messengers, and decisions at each stage. The stakes are higher than many boards assume. One major foundation source has estimated that about 1 in 10 nonprofits is in a leadership transition in any
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