As can be seen in this article from Board Source, the ability to move strategically based on the speed of current events in a 24/7 news cycle world, is crucial, and having that ability requires a good governance strategy.
An excerpt.
“NPR CEO Vivian Schiller resigned today after NPR executive Ron Schiller (no relation to Ms. Schiller) was “stung” by a hidden camera, revealing his biases against the Tea Party. The incident came on the heels of a controversial firing of Juan Williams in 2010.
“The same morning, NPR issued a press release, which read, in part: “According to a CEO succession plan adopted by the Board in 2009, Joyce Slocum, SVP of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, has been appointed to the position of Interim CEO. The Board will immediately establish an Executive Transition Committee that will develop a timeframe and process for the recruitment and selection of new leadership.”
“That’s fast. And guess why they were able to be so nimble? They adopted a succession plan that could be enacted at a moment’s notice. This was that moment. How many boards tell themselves, “We really need to work on our succession plan”, only to have the day-to-day exigencies of the organization take precedence over something that feels theoretical and nearly impossible-the sudden departure of the CEO.”
About
- David H. Lukenbill
- I am a California native, married, we have one daughter and live close to the American River with two cats and all the wild critters we can feed. I am a management consultant to nonprofit organizations and have an Associates of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Sacramento City College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Public Administration degree, also from the University of San Francisco.