Resources for new and aspiring CEOs

The Chief Executive’s First 100 Days: whether you are stepping into your first CEO position or transitioning between roles this guide offers more than structure. It encourages thoughtful provocation: a chance to reflect on your mindset, understand the systems around you and shape your early days with more self-awareness, strategic intent and impact. 

Look before you leap: this guide is intended to help you make your own checklist of questions and avenues to explore for information. The advice is drawn from the real life experiences of a number of charity CEOs who have been through difficult or challenging recruitment processes across a wide range of types and sizes of organisation, as well as the expertise of charity chairs who have seen the process from the other side of the table, and of finance experts who know what to probe and what to look for – and what it is realistic to expect.

Recruiting a chair, trustees and chief executive: recruitment practices evolve, and because we are dealing with people and people change their minds, even the best laid plans have to be adapted quickly and constantly. This guide provides a step by step process, from the planning phase to the post appointment phase, and will help you to plan ahead and prepare for common challenges.

The CEO leap – stepping up into the chief exec role: in this candid webinar, you will hear from a panel of leaders recently appointed to their first chief executive positions. They share how the transition compared to their expectations, the surprises along the way, what they wish they’d known before applying, and their top advice for anyone considering making the leap.

New CEO meeting: come together with other new chief executives to share and reflect on the experience of leading an organisation at this time of change. 

Moving beyond year one as a CEO: This webinar explores how systems leadership can help CEOs move effectively from the intensity of year one into a more grounded, outward-facing stage of personal and organisational development. We’ll share the latest thinking on systems leadership practice and hear honest reflections from CEOs who have recently crossed their first-year threshold – what shifted for them, what became clearer, and what they wish they’d understood sooner.

Aspiring CEO programme: this programme is designed for those senior managers working towards their progression into their first CEO role within a values-led organisation.

New CEO programme: his exciting leadership development programme is designed specifically for anyone within three years of their first CEO post in the voluntary and community sector.

Dynamic Duo: when the relationship between chair and chief executive is strong they are a dynamic duo, both adding value to the organisation. When the relationship is in trouble it’s hard on both chair and CEO and the organisation suffers. This digital event explores how to balance the roles and how to bring out the best in each other, by looking at the CEO/chair relationship from both perspectives.

Guides, tools and templates (for ACEVO members only)

Personal leadership development: we know that it can be difficult to plan and manage your leadership journey, so we created a collection of resources to get you started.

Wellbeing: guidance to support your wellbeing and help you take the necessary steps to feel your best in your role.

Blogs

Charity CEO interview questions

Five things to consider when tailoring your CV for a CEO role

Preparing for a new CEO role: the importance of the countdown stage

Becoming a CEO: lessons I wish I’d known at the start

What I wish I knew before becoming a charity CEO