January 29, 2010: Role of a former CEO
Category: Administration - CEOs
Posted by: David M Patt
When you conclude your service as an association CEO, the best thing you can do is leave.
Whether you've retired, resigned to accept another position, or have been fired, you should get out of your successor's way.
Don't assume a Board position. Don't serve on a committee. Don't accept a consulting job with the association. If the Board wants to reward you, it should give you a nice severance payment.
Don't hang around the office.
Even if you are committed to the association and its mission, your job is over. The new CEO needs to be able to lead the organization without you looking over his or her shoulder, and without Board members asking how you would handle matters.
It's appropriate to accept a consulting arrangement that requires you to be available to the new CEO for a specified period of time. But you should not initiate contact. Let the new CEO contact you - or not contact you.
It may be difficult if you've led an association for a long time. But you are not the leader anymore. Somebody else is now in charge.
Whether you've retired, resigned to accept another position, or have been fired, you should get out of your successor's way.
Don't assume a Board position. Don't serve on a committee. Don't accept a consulting job with the association. If the Board wants to reward you, it should give you a nice severance payment.
Don't hang around the office.
Even if you are committed to the association and its mission, your job is over. The new CEO needs to be able to lead the organization without you looking over his or her shoulder, and without Board members asking how you would handle matters.
It's appropriate to accept a consulting arrangement that requires you to be available to the new CEO for a specified period of time. But you should not initiate contact. Let the new CEO contact you - or not contact you.
It may be difficult if you've led an association for a long time. But you are not the leader anymore. Somebody else is now in charge.
Joe Rominiecki wrote: