How the Y Supports and Develops CEOs - and What Other Nonprofits Can Learn From It

Strong CEOs attract strong board members and encourage strong governance. With weak CEOs, the board weakens over time and governance challenges grow from there, says Neil Nicoll, the outgoing president and CEO of YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for 2,700 YMCAs across the country. "We know from research that there is a clear, direct correlation between the skills of CEOs and the success of local YMCAs," says Nicoll. And as a national network that replaces 100 to 110 of its 900 CEOs each year due mainly to retirement, capitalizing on this correlation is essential to the continued success of local YMCAs. But how does a national network build the skills necessary to successfully lead a YMCA at the local level? And how does it build a culture that embraces the Y cause and shares its priorities? Click here to read more.