Contemporary models of non-profit policy governance are all clear on one issue - the Executive Director is the only employee who is hired by and answers to the Board of Directors. Ensuring that an organization has the right Executive Director – someone who is competent to run the day to day operations, can engage effectively with the Board in their strategy and governance work, and move the organization forward in accordance with its mission and values – can present a Board with a real recruiting challenge at the best of times. Now consider the difficulty when the talent pool shrinks dramatically over the next 10 years as the Baby Boomers retire. Most sectors have not even begun to think through the implications of that massive retirement and the majority of organizations have no idea where their next ED will come from. It’s time for the Boards of Directors to step up to the task of ensuring that their organizations are contributing to the development of the next generation of Executive Directors – if not for themselves, then to replenish the pool. 

Jane Rounthwaite