爆料公社

In the 10 Tips for Success for Incoming Association CEOs and Executive Directors (EDs) blog post, healthcare association executives from 爆料公社 shared their best advice for senior leaders new to an association. And while it鈥檚 important to start off on the right foot, the lessons learned as an incoming CEO/ED continue beyond those first days in office.

Reflecting on their early months as CEOs and EDs, four 爆料公社 senior executives share the key takeaways and leadership lessons that still resonate today.

Don鈥檛 let false urgency set the priority.

Instead, build a culture where you and your team understand the difference between what is a true crisis, what is urgent, and what is not.

鈥淏e intentional about encouraging your team to pause and assess before reacting can protect their time and attention, resources which are often in limited supply,鈥� says Wendy-Jo Toyama, CEO of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM). 鈥淐reating space to research and think through a plan forward will help you give better service to your board and members, while also guarding against staff burnout.鈥�

Be decisive and don鈥檛 second guess.

One of the most difficult aspects of the CEO/ED role is having to be comfortable making timely, mission critical decisions without as much insight as you鈥檇 prefer. In those situations, seek counsel from your circle when you can, trust your instincts, make the decision, and keep moving forward.

Follow through with what you say you鈥檙e going to do.

Success as any leader begins and ends with trust. You鈥檒l build trust quickly with your board, staff, and members if you do what you say you鈥檙e going to do. Fail to follow through and you鈥檒l weaken those bonds, damaging your credibility.

Understand the board as a whole but also the perspectives of the individuals.

While members of the board may govern together as a whole, each individual member brings valuable perspectives and insights unique to their own experiences. For the board to thrive, it鈥檚 important to recognize and build rapport with each member as an individual.

鈥淓ffective and high-performing boards are a diverse representation of the organization鈥檚 membership,鈥� says Nicole Wallace, executive director of the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation (RNRF). 鈥淭he CEO/ED needs to understand not only each board member鈥檚 viewpoint but also how they process information to ensure the organization鈥檚 strategic priorities move forward.鈥�

Don鈥檛 underestimate the importance of between meeting communication with board members. 

Find the balance between keeping the board over-informed and under-informed, and know that balance differs within each organization.

鈥淜eep in mind that board members have full-time jobs outside of their roles on the board,鈥� says Bruce Hammond, executive director of the American College of Academic Addiction Medicine (ACAAM), American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) and the Hospice Medical Director Certification Board (HMDCB). 鈥淭hey may not have time to focus on the organization every day and consequently aren鈥檛 aware of everything that鈥檚 being done. It鈥檚 important to keep them in the loop in a systematic way.鈥�

Respect the relationship your predecessor had with the board and staff.

Don鈥檛 underestimate the relationships your predecessor built or undermine the decisions they made. Instead, leverage what your predecessor built and develop a relationship with them to quickly gain credibility.

Don鈥檛 be an island.

Delegation is key, especially when progressing into a senior leadership role with responsibility for an entire organization.

鈥淏efore moving into an executive director role, I had 8 years of marketing and membership as my daily focus,鈥� says Molly Anderson, interim executive director of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN). 鈥淟earning to delegate more effectively and empower other team members with my former responsibilities has allowed me the time and space to focus on my new duties and strengthen my executive skillset.鈥�

Keep these words in mind when you feel challenged.

鈥淏oard members who in the beginning may have been skeptical because of your lack of experience in their specific field will likely become supporters of you as the months go by,鈥� says Bruce Hammond. 鈥淭rust that your abilities and those of your staff will make a positive impact on the organization.鈥�

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Katherine Wayne is senior manager of corporate communications at 爆料公社.