Recruiting qualified candidates, screening applicants, interviewing and finding the best person for the job, negotiating the offer, and providing support post-hire takes time when you are doing a job search. How do we know? We worked closely on eight executive level searches last year and have two in process, and a few more in the hopper. Here are a few things we’ve learned along the way about managing nonprofit job […]

WE WORK WITH SOME PRETTY AMAZING PEOPLE!

In March, when the world seemed to come to a crashing halt, we didn’t know what work might look like for The Strategy Group in the months that followed. Here’s what we now know:

1. You adapted with incredible grace and kindness. Your clients are better because of you.
2. Flexibility often leads to creativity, and we are pushing ourselves to be bold how we work […]
   

The dust is settling a bit, and we are just beginning to consider the future. We don’t know what that future is going to look like, but it is going to be different than the past, for sure.

Here is what I know… nonprofits are strong and resilient. When I look around, I see nonprofits leading the way during this pandemic. Our communities and the people we serve expect no less.

In […]

“A good board is a victory, not a gift.”  –Cyril O. Houle

As many of you know, I have taught at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service for almost 20 years. Without a doubt, I love teaching. Every once in a while, it is nice to be the student not the teacher. Recently I attended a three-day workshop on nonprofit governance at BoardSource in Washington. What I learned certainly validated […]

The best leaders think carefully about what will happen when they leave. Because at some point they will. It seems pretty simple yet many organizations prefer to ignore that fact. Whether the departure is planned or a surprise, early planning can help ensure a smooth, or at least a smoother, transition.

What is succession planning?

Succession planning is an ongoing process where organizations identify and groom high performing candidates for key positions. […]

In September, Debra conducted a training for over 30 board chairs at Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. One of the participants suggested we have a cheat sheet with tips on how to be a successful board chair — tips for what to do before you take on the role, what to do once you are chair, and how to leave on a high note. […]

On June 11, The Strategy Group held its first leadership workshop at the Darien Community Association for 22 executive directors and upper level managers.  We explored leadership styles, how to build a successful team, and handling conflict and having difficult conversations.  Executive leaders — Mike Duggan from Domus, Nancy von Euler from Horizons at NCCS, and Alan Mathis from LifeBridge Community Services, Inc. — joined us for an engaging panel discussion on […]

Nonprofit Executive Onboarding Checklist (Free Download)

One of The Strategy Group’s more “boutique” services is nonprofit executive searches. We have worked with a number of philanthropic, environmental, cultural and human services organizations to find new leadership. And our success rate is very high!

Once the search is complete, another important step begins… onboarding. You may ask why onboarding is so important (and, unfortunately overlooked). The bottom line is that the onboarding […]