Talbott Talent

A successful executive search starts long before resumes are collected. When boards pause, clarify what the next season requires, and name their capacity, the entire process becomes more focused and more effective. These six steps outline the groundwork for a healthy transition.

Happy Thanksgiving from Talbott Talent. Wishing you a calm, meaningful holiday and time with the people who matter most. We’re grateful for the work you do and the trust you place in us. Enjoy your time with your family and friends.

A well-rounded, high-functioning board is the backbone of a thriving nonprofit. The Free Board Matrix is your step-by-step tool to:

- Identify missing skills or perspectives
- Get diversity in experience based on organization needs
- Build a board that can move your organization forward

Don’t just fill board seats. Fill them with the right people. Get your free matrix now.
https://www.talbotttalent.com/freeboardmatrix

Please join us in welcoming Marcya Hill-Brown in the role of Career Coach at John B***r Neighborhood Centers.

Please join us in welcoming Demetria Woodard in the role of Front Desk Receptionist at Fitness Zone.

If your board is approaching a leadership transition, preparation matters more than you think.

When we meet with boards about to begin an Executive Search, one of the first things we hear is, “We’re ready to post the job.”

But here’s the thing: The search doesn’t start with a posting. It starts with a pause.

Before any board can find the right leader, they need clarity about what “right” even means.
And that clarity takes work. It means asking:

- What kind of leadership does our mission need now...not just what worked before?

- Have we defined what success looks like in the first year?

- Do we agree on who is leading the process and how decisions will be made?

- Have we built a plan for onboarding and board support that actually sets our new executive up to succeed?

The best Executive Searches happen when boards slow down long enough to listen: to each other, to staff, to stakeholders, and sometimes to the uncomfortable truths that surface when the old ways stop working.

At Talbott Talent, we’ve seen how that clarity changes everything. It turns a rushed search into a thoughtful transition. It prevents good leaders from being set up to fail. And it keeps organizations focused on the future, not the past.

If this feels like a lot to consider, that’s because it is. Executive Search done well is complex, human work. It’s about understanding people, purpose, and timing.

We walk boards through this process every day, and the best results always start the same way: with honesty, alignment, and a willingness to ask hard questions before the search begins.

If your organization is preparing for a transition, start there. You’ll be amazed how much easier the rest of the process becomes once everyone’s on the same page.

When a long-serving executive director of a youth services nonprofit retired, the board wanted to find “another Sarah.”

She had led with heart, built strong community ties, and kept the organization steady through change. They pulled out her old job description, updated the dates, and started the search.

Months later, frustration grew. Every candidate seemed “nice but not Sarah.” Interviews went in circles. The board realized they weren’t just hiring for the role: they were trying to recreate the person.

That’s when they reached out to Talbott Talent.

We helped them pause and ask new questions:
- What does the organization need now?
- What challenges are ahead?
- What skills will carry the mission forward?

Together, we built a new position profile that reflected the future, not the past. Within eight weeks, we helped them find a candidate who wasn’t another Sarah but was exactly the leader they needed.

Leadership transitions are defining moments. The right process helps your board stop looking backward and start building what’s next.

Learn more by contacting us to discuss your next Executive Search.