164: Ermahgerd! | How to Evaluate Executive Director Performance with Debbie Rabishaw

So a nonprofit hires an Executive Director, skips all the onboarding, sets no goals, and now… wants to fire them. Yikes!

I'm joined by Debbie Rabishaw, founder of HR consulting firm Next Step Advisory, to tackle a listener question that has more layers than an onion. A small nonprofit is in the middle of transitioning from a working board to a governing board, their new ED is getting mixed reviews, and some board members have already gone rogue. Things are messy, and Debbie and I have thoughts.

Real Listener Question:

"We hired a new executive director a year ago but didn't set any goals for her. A new evaluation committee sent out an anonymous staff survey and got mixed results, including some poor feedback. Now some board members want to demote her and split her role. I'm thinking of proposing a performance improvement plan, but we haven't documented any issues. What's the best way forward?"

Debbie and I dig into what this board is actually dealing with, why the response feels disproportionate to the situation, and what good performance management actually looks like for a nonprofit's first employee.

What You'll Learn:

• What the relationship between the board and Executive Director SHOULD look like
• Why you can't put someone on a PIP if you never set expectations in the first place
• How to course correct when things didn't start off the right way
• Why the board needs to look at its own responsibility before pointing fingers
• What anonymous stakeholder surveys can and can't tell you about performance
• Why employment law applies to your nonprofit no matter how small you are

Bottom line: You can't hold someone accountable for expectations that were never set. Own your part, reset the compass, and give this hire a real chance to succeed.

Resources from this Episode

• Learn more about Debbie at www.nextstepadvisory.us
• Previous Episode: Can a Religious Nonprofit Apply for Status with the IRS 1023-EZ Short Form?: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct163-religious-nonprofit-1023/
• Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CT164_Transcript.pdf

Connect with Us

• Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/
• Debbie Rabishaw: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbierabishaw/

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