Why HR Chaos Sinks New CEOs: Interims to the Rescue!

The Nonprofit Show

Jeffrey Wilcox (President) and Joan Brown (COO) of the Interim Executives Academy unpack the harsh realities of nonprofit leadership turnover—and the game-changing role of interim executives.

Jeffrey starts this lively session with. . . “Interim leaders aren’t temps—they’re bees, cross-pollinating wisdom to prepare organizations for their next leader.” Joan Brown backs it up, revealing why first-time nonprofit CEOs crash and burn—often due to unclear job expectations, chaotic HR structures, and boards that operate like secret societies instead of partners.

This bouyant conversation with host Julia Patrick, gets real fast:

HR disasters are the #1 reason leaders get fired—think vague job roles, favoritism, and financial denial.

Boards scare new execs by locking them out of meetings instead of mentoring them.

Interims aren’t just placeholders—they’re strategic fixers who spend 9–12 months prepping orgs for long-term success.

Looking ahead, Jeffrey and Joan warn nonprofits: “If you’re only relevant to yourself, you’re already dying.” The future demands sustainable leadership, emotional intelligence, and ditching outdated board modelsthat hold orgs back.

00:00:00 Intro: Why Leadership Turnover is Crisis
00:02:33 Why First-Time Nonprofit CEOs Fail
00:06:00 HR Disasters Killing Organizations
00:10:45 How Interims Fix Toxic Cultures
00:15:38 Interim Leaders: Bees, Not Band-Aids
00:19:45 Future of Nonprofit Leadership
00:22:55 Relevancy or Bust for Nonprofits
00:27:09 Free Training Announcement

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