NADO’s research has shown a trend in executive director retirements within Regional Development Organizations (RDOs), which is not too surprising given the sheer number of baby boomers that are considering retirement in the near future. As today’s executive directors start to plan for their departure from their organization, there is a class of deputy or assistant directors in the wings ready to take on the challenges and opportunities that leading an RDO presents. This presentation by Dr. Monica Scamardo at the 2015 NADO Annual Training Conference will help emerging executive directors (those that have held the position for three years or less as well as those deputies that are gaining the needed experience to run an RDO) identify the characteristics of a strong and successful executive director and help them develop a strategy for assuring they become one in the future.

1. PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE:
TOOLS FOR THE EARLY
CAREER ED/AD
Dr. Monica Scamardo
monica@variateconsulting.com

2. 8 Competency Areas for EDs
• Organizational Mangmt. (ie, branding, $, SP)
• Leadership (ie, ethics, interpersonal, negotiation)
• Administration (ie HR, Tech, Legal, Facilities)
• Knowledge Management & Research
• Governance & Structure
• Public Policy, Govt. Relations & Coalition Building
• Programs, Products & Services
• Marketing, Public Relations & Communications

3. Organizational Assessment Checklist
• What are the top 3 priorities of the org?
• What are the top 3 strengths of the org?
• What are my top 3 strengths as the ED?
• How can I use these strengths to improve the org?
• How can I use the strengths of the board & staff to advance the mission?
• What are the top 3 weaknesses of the org?
• What are my top 3 weaknesses as ED?
• How can I compensate for my weaknesses?
• How can we overcome the weaknesses of the board and staff to still
advance the mission?
• What are the top 3 threats facing the org? Strategies to address?
• What are the top 3 opportunities facing the org?
• What are the plans/strategies to address these?
From DDAA NADO Self Assessment & Resource Tool Kit

4. Results
Accountability
Commitment
Crucial Communications
Trust
Getting Results
Lencioni, 2002

5. /*/

6. Components of Trust
Competence
Benevolence
Character
Resource: Mayer, Davis & Schrooman, 1995

7. Results of a Trusted Leader
organizational
productivity
job satisfaction high performance
collaborative
teams
positive opinions of
leader
innovative behavior
crucial communications achieved goals organizational
alignment

9. What are the
3 causes of distrust
in organizations & teams?

10. Results of Low Trust
suspiciousness
turnover presenteeism
marginal work lack of
communication
time wasted
increased
operating costs
gossip fear

11. Best Practices for Building Trust
Make & Keep Commitments
Give Recognition
Seek & Implement Feedback
Be Visible
Acknowledge Errors
Manage Change Reactions
Create & Cast the Vision
Engage Your Board

12. 3 Areas of Focus for
New EDs Who Succeed
Manage Change Reactions
Create & Cast the Vision
Engage Your Board

13. #1 Mistakes in Managing Change
1. Not understanding the importance of people
2. Not understanding that people throughout
the organization have different reactions to
change
3. Treating change as an event, rather than a
process.
4. Being less than candid.

15. #2 Create a Clear Vision

16. Cast
the Vision
To Who?
How?
When?

17. #3 How do you
engage your
board members?

18. Engaging New Board Members Upfront
1. BUDDY SYSTEM
2. ORIENTATION PACKET
3. PERSONAL SITE VISIT
4. COMMITTEES ASSIGNMENT
5. FIRST BOARD MEETING
6. PERSONALIZE THE RELATIONSHIP
7. GET COMMITMENTS EARLY

19. Goals Create Engagement
• Be sure your board members know your goals for the year.
– How many members to we want to gain?
– How much funding to we want to secure?
– How many people do we want to serve directly?
• Be sure they know the impact of accomplishing the goals.
– We’ll help our region to XYZ.
– We will help hungry people get nutritious meals right here in our
community.
• Be sure every board member knows what their job is to make
the plan happen.
– Bring in 25 new participants to annual conference.
– Run a task force to identify XYZ
– Serve on a governmental relations committee to strengthen
relationships with elected officials.
• Keep in touch with your board members informing them of
successes.

20. Creating Engagement for Meetings
1. Inform them of the good, bad & ugly
2. “Mission Moment” meeting kick-off
3. Core message battle cries
4. One-on one meetings

21. Dr. Monica Scamardo
monica@variateconsulting.com
21
Training & Retreats
Speaking Engagements
Leadership Coaching
Workplace Consulting