Becoming a charity CEO is a leap of responsibility, visibility, and sometimes faith. We asked our members what they wish they’d known before taking on the role. Their reflections offer wisdom, honesty, and solidarity for anyone stepping into sector leadership.
Governance and board relationships
Navigating governance can be one of the trickiest parts of a CEO’s role — especially if you’re new to it or assuming trustees understand their role better than they actually do.
“I wish I’d understood that there will be situations where the micromanaging behaviours of trustees (especially treasurers!) stems from their own anxiety. The chair of the Association of Chairs pointed this out to me many years ago. At the time, I was ranting about a particularly difficult treasurer. The chair of the AoC pointed out that (in many charities) although trustees are supposed to have collective responsibility, it is often the case that the board switches partially off re: finance and leaves it to the Treasurer. This can place a huge burden and responsibility on said treasurer, and it manifests in micromanaging behaviours! That conversation was a real lightbulb moment for me!”
As your charity grows, so does the complexity of governance. Knowing when and how to scale internal systems can be a minefield, especially if trustees or new staff push for solutions that don’t quite fit.
“As a small organisation of just two or three staff gets larger there is a need to make a transition to much more elaborate internal and governance procedures. It is really important as a CEO to have access to independent expert advice on this transition… If you are able to lead this process with external support that you have obtained (e.g. via ACEVO), then you avoid the risk of time-consuming conflicts, and having to unpick changes to create something more proportionate.”
Many CEOs reflect that they underestimated their own power and responsibility to shape the board’s development, and overestimated how much direction would come from trustees.
“I wish I’d known that I had the opportunity – and the responsibility – to play an active part in helping my board develop well and act effectively. I can see looking back that I was too much the passive servant of the board… I didn’t fully appreciate how much they would and should gain from the particular insight and experience I had as the person sitting at the table with the most deeply embedded understanding of the organisation and its needs.”
Role identity and leadership presence
Even seasoned leaders are surprised by how much the CEO role becomes not just a job, but an identity that follows you into every interaction.
“That people would look to you no matter the situation and the delegation and therefore that you are (at work) always going to be the CEO. I knew this intellectually but hadn’t processed what it meant… your commenting on something is automatically the CEO doing so (even if you are not the expert or were being a bit flippant). Or when you don’t step in and people think you should have.”
“That a lot of the experience you collected before taking the role is very useful — even if the knowledge isn’t relevant, it is often the fact that you have navigated challenging situations before and can use this experience to support others.”
Others shared that it took time to feel confident in their leadership, especially when dealing with power dynamics with founders, or when their own leadership style didn’t fit traditional expectations.
“I had massive imposter syndrome for about three years, as the founder was the chair. I wished I had more confidence; they recruited you for a reason… leadership doesn’t have to involve being the most visible person shouting the loudest about your ideas. My leadership style is more collaborative and this is a value I lean into now as a positive.”
“I would also advise that new CEOs get plenty of rest days built into the induction process… I have ADHD and this was completely overwhelming for me. One day had a board meeting tacked on the end too — hellish! I am very led by Brené Brown – being authentic and showing vulnerability, models this for others and helps people feel safe in your organisation.”
Power and responsibility
Some CEOs assumed that stepping into the top job meant more freedom to act. What they found instead was a new level of complexity and accountability.
“Before becoming a CEO, I was in a management position in a large organisation and was continually frustrated by how slow and difficult it was to effect change. I always thought ‘if only I was in charge, I could make things happen.’ When I became CEO… I very quickly found out that being ‘in charge’ brings with it even more constraints, not fewer. Having to reconcile the needs of trustees, donors, beneficiaries, staff etc — brought with it a whole new layer of complexity.”
“As a CEO you sometimes feel you are leading in no-man’s land because too often you are making decisions with fragments of data, biased information, polarised opinions and gut instinct rather than well-structured, fully researched and objective data… You have to be comfortable with discomfort in decision making and that the buck stops with you.”
Relationships and influence
It’s not about doing everything yourself. It’s about building coalitions — internally and externally — around shared purpose.
“That the most important part of the role is relationship building! Internal, external, trustees, stakeholders, the whole shebang. You can be the best and most efficient fundraiser, HR, IT, Finance, Service delivery expert etc but it will all mean nothing if you cannot build a coalition around you of people who share your vision and are genuinely invested in working with you to deliver it.”
“Trustees need time to get used to an idea if they are to fully support it… I would have saved myself a lot of time and difficulty… had I known earlier the deep value of spending time preparing the ground, sharing early thinking… and giving trustees the opportunity to consider and reflect before asking them to make a formal decision.”
These reflections reveal that becoming a charity CEO is about much more than managing operations or setting strategy. It’s about presence, persuasion, patience, and learning where your influence really lies. While every leadership journey is unique, sharing these truths can help others feel better prepared, or at the very least, less alone.