It was a terrific experience to be a member of such an extremely intelligent group of talented, curious, accomplished, and progressive people.
Across the last two Thursdays of October, a group of 19 Interim Executive Directors gathered together to attend the second of Support Center’s Interim ED Training programs in 2021. Albeit being virtual, the Interim ED Training proved to be a thoroughly engaging and instructive experience, owing to the diverse perspectives that the participants brought. They came from differing fields within the nonprofit sector, and with varying degrees of leadership experience, but they were brought together by their collective, deep interest in interim work.
The discussions in the training were based on a wide range of topics, including an Interim ED’s role during organizational transitions, approaches for interim leadership rooted in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, stabilizing an organization, and theories on models of interim leadership. Moreover, the training also presented the opportunity to engage with a few of Support Center’s experienced, extremely knowledgeable Interim EDs, including Margo Amgott, Robin Jenkins, and Richard Burns. Through the panels and facilitated discussions, the participants were encouraged to consider the nuances that influence an Interim ED’s role, such as the exact circumstances of the transition and board relationships. For many, learning from experienced interim leaders highlighted aspects of interim work that might otherwise be difficult to notice and convinced others to become advocates for the profession. Similarly, participants expressed appreciation for being able to see the support that exists for interim leaders, and our hope is that the training allows them to build a foundation from which they can carve their own journeys in the crucial world of interim work.
Undoubtedly, we missed the feel of intimate and personal conversations more commonly found during in-person training, but we were nonetheless reassured by the meaningful connections developed through the virtual Interim ED Training. We continue to strengthen the candidate pool that feeds into our interim placement work, as talented and aspiring interim leaders choose to join the training and learn from and support one another. As said by one of the participants themselves, “it was a terrific experience to be a member of such an extremely intelligent group of talented, curious, accomplished, and progressive people. There is a wealth of opportunity still available for the group to reconvene, to learn from one another, to discuss pressing issues (whether social, political, or how to be a strong and effective leader) and to toss about questions about being an Interim ED.”