Many employers, particularly in the nonprofit community, now talk a good game regarding their commitment to diversity. They have policies in place prohibiting discrimination and enthusiastically acknowledge the virtue and utility of a diverse workforce. It’s been ten years since University of Michigan Professor Scott E. Page published mathematical modeling and case studies showing how…
You’ve been through an exhaustive (and somewhat exhausting) executive search, and your new leader has accepted your offer. It’s time to celebrate or, at least, breathe a big sigh of relief! While you are certainly entitled to both, the board needs to appreciate that what happens over the next several weeks, if not months, can…
When faced with a nonprofit leadership transition, it isn’t surprising that the board of directors will rush to get the job posted and the search underway as quickly as possible. While it may feel like time is of the essence, our recommendation is to take time upfront to consider together—as a board—what your vision for…
Once you’ve posted your job, collected the résumés, and identified the most promising applicants, it will be time to begin the interview process. But where to begin? Phone interviews as a first step – As search consultants, we often conduct phone interviews with promising candidates. In a call we can quickly get a read on…
One of the initial questions board members ask when faced with a leadership transition is, “How much is this going to cost?” While the response is likely to be, “That depends,” here are the kinds of expenses you might anticipate: Search consultant – It is not unusual for search consultants to charge 25% to 33%…
“Should staff serve on the search committee?” It is a question we hear at the start of every search for a nonprofit leader. If a board member doesn’t ask it, a staff member is sure to. Having advised multiple boards as they embark upon the search process for an executive director (president or CEO), here’s…
How familiar is the firm with the landscape in which we work? If you are hoping to generate local or regional candidates, as well as applicants from other states, you’ll find it very helpful to engage a firm or consultant who is familiar with your competition, as well as your partners, knows the geography in…
If you are fortunate, you’ve grown the talent you need within your organization—you have someone who is ready for leadership, who has the experience required and the support of the board, staff, and key stakeholders. Well-planned succession of leadership is certainly the ideal, but rarely is it reality. While large corporations may have the luxury…
Searching for a new leader and ensuring a smooth transition from one leader to the next are two different things. While some search committees end-up being called the “transition committee,” and may even find that their work extends beyond the search, we recommend nonprofit boards consider having one committee for the search and a separate…
No board chair I’ve ever met has taken on the role of chair with the hope of leading a search process for a new executive director or CEO. The chair’s job can be demanding enough without the prospect of handling all aspects of a leadership transition and executive search. Yet transition is a reality, and…
From the start the training is geared toward the individual as well as the specific company while maintaining a broader overview of the topics. Mary was a great presenter, an excellent listener, and overall made this an enjoyable experience unlike the typical training programs.
Starboard’s team took the time to get to understand our project and the motivations behind it, offering honest feedback and clear steps we could take to bolster our future campaign.
Starboard Leadership played a key role in Maine Discovery Museum’s most recent strategic plan. Thanks to Starboard, MDM’s Executive Team and Board of Directors were able to craft a solid, inspirational, and meaningful plan – one that has been our guidepost since completion.
The training provided by Mary Budd of Starboard Leadership not only met our expectations but exceeded them. Our mission with this training was to provide our leadership staff (both new leaders and experienced leaders) with a tool to help them with building strong teams, encourage employee engagement on their individual teams and facilitate talent development.
We’re always pushing to take our organization to the next level, and Starboard has helped us reach new heights in our leadership and management, employee engagement, and talent management. My experience has been that Starboard works hard to add value in every way possible. As a result, I always hear positive feedback from employees following Starboard’s engagements with us.
Scott helped me see through the fog to focus on the most pressing issues creating tension, challenges and structuring the organization for success in a new environment. My regular connections with Scott kept me on track, focusing on moving the needle on the items that required my attention.
Scott’s style is direct, empathetic, and thought-provoking. He has provided critical knowledge, experience, and connections that have allowed us to build a stronger Board and take advantage of opportunities. Coach, cheerleader, and catalyst are three words I would use to describe his work with our organization.
The interviews that Starboard conducted with our partners and key funders proved to be an invaluable part of our strategic planning process, as was their expertise in helping to shape a plan that guides our work every day.
We hired Starboard to lead us through our first ever, professionally led strategic planning process. We were at an important juncture in our growth and direction and had to make some really big decisions. We definitely hired the right firm to guide and support us! The Starboard team were great facilitators, professional, yet at the same time, down-to-earth. We couldn’t have hired a better firm to work with us. The results have been fantastic!
Mary Budd was EXCELLENT in helping us find the right ED for Ketcha Outdoors…She was firm where needed with our large committee, but she listened very well and “got” what our organization was all about. She’s personable, smart and a true professional in this space.
We had a great experience with Starboard Leadership Consulting. Mary Budd provided deft guidance with just the right combination of structure and flexibility to support our strategic planning process. The framing questions she brought to the process resulted in rich and robust conversations. Our Board was fully engaged and appreciated the straightforward, streamlined process that resulted in a clear and focused strategic framework for our work in the next five years.
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