The biggest business challenge in launching my Leaving Well work has been convincing boards, nonprofit leaders (and funders) to plan for something they don’t want to think about. Succession planning feels like writing your estate plan, or planning your own funeral—uncomfortable and seemingly premature.
​
I’ve watched organizations hemorrhage talent, lose major grants, and damage community relationships because they waited until leadership crises hit to start thinking about transitions. The resistance isn’t malicious; it’s human nature. But it’s also expensive and preventable.
​
Building credibility in this space means being willing to have uncomfortable conversations and challenge the tendency to operate in reactive mode rather than strategic foresight.

​
Pleased to share my story from VoyageATL's Hidden Gems series! It’s important to shine a light on the importance of succession planning, board development, and building cultures that embrace change with care.

Building this business hasn't been just about me though. These folks also deserve credit in my story:

• Every client who has trusted me with their leadership transitions —especially the brave decision makers who have engaged me for succession planning while they were thriving, not just when crisis hit.
• The board chairs who acknowledged they needed outside perspective during vulnerable moments.
• The interim leaders who came before me and proved that external leadership during transitions works.
• The team members of the clients I’ve worked with along the way who’ve proven to me that healthy transition cultures aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re essential for mission sustainability.
• The foundation program officers, CEOs, GMs, and philanthropists who fund and prioritize succession planning initiatives also deserve recognition. They understand that leadership development and transition planning are infrastructure investments, not luxury add-ons.

They have all underscored (along with everyone who has trusted me enough to refer me to their networks) that when people leave well, organizations can emerge stronger than before.

​

🧡 Leaving Well provides interim leadership, board development, and proactive succession planning for nonprofit organizations (because your next leadership transition is coming whether you're ready or not). Visit us today or hit reply to this email and let us know what support your organization needs.