On Being a Chief  Executive

Richard Brewster was one of the two researchers and writers of the first in-depth research into the working lives of people who lead nonprofits. Using interviews, retreats and seminars, Richard and Rob Paton, formerly Professor of Social Enterprise at the Open University Business School, collected 1500 pages of transcripts of the accounts of nearly seventy CEOs of nonprofits. These CEOs described in depth their day-to-day experiences of their roles as leaders and reflected on what they learned from these.

The research has been captured in a summary report and its conclusions form the basis of  learning materials, workshops and coaching for Executive Directors of nonprofits and those who work with and support them. The main topics covered are: 

• ED relations with the Chair and the Board

• Working with your direct reports

• Leading the wider organization

• Leading beyond the nonprofit

• The person of the leader as a resource

• How to develop personal resources for leadership

• How to integrate personal and leadership lives.