Are Serial CSEs Part of the Problem?
As many of us do, I read LinkedIn at least once per day – if not twice. When I was looking at the newsfeed on Wednesday this week, I saw an announcement that an association executive was heading into their third Chief Staff Executive (CSE) position. This person left their second role under something of a cloud but was able to secure another top-staff person position rather quickly.
While I’m all for getting another chance even if things didn’t end the way you would like, it raised again in my mind the issue of “serial CSEs” – those leaders who go from group to group bringing the same ideas, attitudes, and ways of doing things. Let’s face it: no matter how hard we work to have new ideas, open our minds, and find different approaches we are always the same person.
It’s like the Zen saying: No matter where you go, there you are.
Of course, this is not the first person to have multiple CSE jobs and they certainly won’t be the last. But I’ve been thinking about this off and on for a number of years because there are some association management leaders that have held many more than three CSE jobs.
While these organizations may be doing well – for now – are we sowing the seeds of future problems by hiring the same person to work across multiple organizations?
Go ahead: send the angry postcards.
You are going to say, “But Cecilia, these people are EXPERIENCED. They are PROVEN. They PERFORM.” But being from Missouri, I’m a skeptic about this question. Why? Because if we have the same small group of CSEs moving across the association community, and we continue to have the same issues with Board performance, CSE/Board conflict, and a continued lack of understanding of the unique roles association professionals and the Boards have – are we seeing a symptom or the root of the problem?
Yes, I know. You are offended, especially if you are reading this and you have had multiple CSE roles. “Not me – I do a good job as CSE.” Great. Good for you. But if we have so many experienced CSEs moving from organization to organization, shouldn’t we be seeing a net improvement across the nonprofit management profession?
In my opinion, this is the flip side of the issue of a CSE staying in a job for three or more decades. Stagnation can set in and a long-serving CSE becomes the font of the saying, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” Length of service is not quality of service. It’s just a long time with your butt in the seat.
Which leads me back to the original question: are serial CSEs part of the problem? I don’t know the answer to that question yet, but it is certainly something we should consider.
