11 Qualities of a Good Executive Director: What Members Expect

You wear many hats as an association Executive Director — mentor, counselor, results driver, mission advocate, figurehead, board collaborator. The list goes on. Many leaders turn to trusted association management companies for support in balancing these roles, ensuring their association stays on track while they focus on leadership.

It may seem difficult to be “good” in your members’ eyes, let alone “great.” What makes a good Executive Director? Getting there can feel like trying to hit a constantly moving target. 

Although that target varies, your members — no matter who they are — value definite attributes. You don’t have to be perfect to stand tall in your role. In ways large and small, you can show you strive to achieve greatness in everything you do.

Let’s look at 11 distinct qualities of a good Executive Director. Along the way, remember that you’re human, just like your members and board. Everyone has room to grow and space to change.

How To Be a Good Executive Director

When you learn how to be an Executive Director who gets results as well as respect, it shows. Your members see your efforts in your actions, your attitude and your speech. 

You already maintain a careful mix of logic and friendliness — hard skills and soft skills — in your daily life. The same applies to fulfilling the qualities of an Executive Director. Whether you’re leading in the nonprofit sector or a chamber of commerce, the core values of leadership and management remain the same.

Take these 11 steps, and you’ll foster lasting greatness in your role and association.

Note. We focus on private associations more than nonprofits (more than half of Executive Directors work for private companies). But if you’re a nonprofit Executive Director, our advice is the same! Your nonprofit’s mission and people come first, while these actions support them from the ground up.

[Related: Smart Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations]

1. Communicate Clearly, Openly and Often

To be an effective Executive Director, you must communicate not just with your board of directors, but also with each staff member and member of your association.

Yes, it’s a no-brainer, but sound communication means more than member emails and presentations at board meetings.

Your communication skills are in your demeanor as well as your speech. Speak with anyone at your association like you would with a trusted friend: openly, honestly and frequently. 

Get a feel for where they’re satisfied and dissatisfied, from interns to employees to CEOs. Send surveys, write newsletters, ask questions and be frank. Good Executive Directors learn from every interaction. Strong communication is often considered one of the top strengths of an executive because it directly impacts trust and productivity.

2. Listen Constantly

It’s an Executive Director’s responsibility to actively listen. You can’t have two-way communication and collaboration without listening! This is essential for those managing day to day operations or working to align strategic goals across departments.

This action goes deeper than opening your ears. Open your mind and expand your emotional intelligence when listening to members. Think about where they’re coming from and why they might feel the way they do to get a thorough understanding. Listening closely is one of the most underrated yet essential executive director skills that directly supports association growth.

When you stay attuned to the person in front of you, both parties benefit. Speaking openly and listening earnestly walk hand in hand as qualities of a good Executive Director.

[Related: No Silver Bullet for Associations — It’s About the Members]

3. Ask for and Act on Feedback

Learning how to be a good Executive Director means adapting to change.

One of the smartest ways to find where you should shift positions or tactics is asking for feedback from the board and staff. They can inform your most critical decisions. Don’t stop at asking — take time to digest what your staff and board members have to say. 

It’s no place to let your ego get in the way. Being open to constructive feedback is one of the timeless qualities of a good director, showing humility and a willingness to grow.

Then, when your members offer feedback, act on it (when it makes sense for your mission). Your feedback-based flexibility manifests in how your association grows, your organization’s mission advances, and ultimately, in membership retention.

4. Think Strategically and Creatively

Hard skills and soft skills collide in how Executive Directors think. 

Of course, you have to think strategically about positive outcomes, financial management, board member reports and more. Strategic goals are the backbone of any thriving association.

But don’t become so set in your strategic thinking that you lose touch with what could be.

Creative thinking is a hallmark of what makes a good Executive Director. Without it, you limit yourself — and your association — to the same-old, same-old approaches. Strategic and creative thinking meld to take your executive leadership beyond baseline expectations. 

[Related: Strategic Planning for Associations: If You Don’t Plan, You Will Fail]

5. Demonstrate Leadership With Accountability

You expect staff, fellow members and boards to take accountability for their actions. Naturally, the same goes for you as an Executive Director.

You earn immeasurable trust when you pair personal accountability with strong leadership — and you can certainly do both. This balance of responsibility and leadership is often cited among the essential qualities of a good executive director, because it demonstrates integrity and builds confidence across your entire organization.

Again, ego has no place here. If you’re wrong, own it. If you’re right, celebrate the accomplishment and move on.

Your board already holds you accountable, especially for financial management, governance and the hiring process. You get a head start when you show accountability for the informed decisions you make. In turn, your members and board recognize and appreciate that ownership.

6. Show Inclusivity and Empathy

The association landscape is changing, and Executive Directors have to change with it. That’s why inclusivity and empathy are two of the most important qualities of a good Executive Director. 

Let’s check out some demographics as of 2021:

• 71% of all Executive Directors are white. If you fall in that category, you must stay attuned to your non-white members. The statistics are similar for nonprofit leaders.
• Most Executive Directors are 40 years old or older, so interacting with younger age brackets is key to recruitment and retention.
• 53% of Executive Directors are women, while 47% are men. This nearly even split means you must be aware of potentially different communication skills and styles.

It can be a lot to take in if you’ve never looked at your leadership through varying lenses. 

[Related: Selfless Leadership Is the Best Kind — Are You a Selfless Leader?]

7. Get and Share Measurable Results

It’s part of your job description. Members expect to contribute to results. Your board expects to see concrete metrics (and financial success) from you and your teams.

Putting hard skills to work is how to be an Executive Director who earns positive outcomes for the entire organization. 

From project management to strategic planning, you work diligently toward success. So keep your results measurable, up to date and aligned with your mission. Delivering measurable outcomes ranks high among the top strengths of an executive director, proving that leadership efforts translate into tangible progress.

To maximize impact, make sure your members and board know those results! Create supplementary reports, spreadsheets or presentations to let them know how they — and you — work toward your organization’s objectives.

8. Build Association-Wide Rapport

The qualities of a good Executive Director often overlap. For example, building rapport ties into communication, listening and inclusivity/empathy.

With rapport, you develop a solid foundation as an influential leader while proactively building relationships with and among members. 

This doesn’t simply establish you as a good Executive Director. It goes the extra mile and shows old-fashioned human kindness! Your members know you’re not aloof and rigid, and your board knows you’re on top of your teams’ needs. 

And when members tend to get along, your association tends to flourish.

[Related: How Do You Handle Negativity in Your Association’s Meetings?]

9. Be a Vocal Association Advocate

You hold a powerful middle position in your association, where you oversee tasks while reporting to higher-ups. Effective Executive Directors juggle and orchestrate hundreds of connections, from key stakeholders to freshly appointed clerks.

That’s one reason it’s essential to openly champion your association — alongside its vision, mission and core values — every day.

Advocating for your association takes time and planning, but the dividends are immeasurable. You show how to be a good Executive Director with each member through deliberate action, speech and outreach.

To amplify these efforts, many Executive Directors collaborate with association management companies that provide strategic guidance, operational support, and resources to strengthen advocacy initiatives. With the right partnership, you can ensure your voice — and your association’s mission — resonates even more effectively.

10. Follow Your Association’s Mission — Always

It’s the heart of your association. It feeds into every aspect of your leadership role. It drives your organization’s operations and long-term vision.

When you keep that mission front and center in all you do, you never lose sight of it. 

Whatever you do — execute plans, attend events, hold meetings — follow that mission like a mantra. It doesn’t just guide you in the right direction. It’s one of the most integral qualities of a good Executive Director.

[Related: Think Your Association Needs New Management?]

11. Inspire and Lead by Example

It’s all well and good to know how to be a good Executive Director. It’s another thing entirely to actually put these actions into practice.

Your real-life behaviors motivate others in a ripple effect and influence everyone around you. 

You can inspire, lead and motivate by conscientious action — and that’s formidable. Plus, you’re always leading by example. And leading by example is how you show genuine commitment to your teams, your board and your association’s lasting success.

[Related: Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Association Management Company]

Find Effective Executive Director Support With CM Services

Being a good — or daresay great — Executive Director takes effort. Your job demands dozens of responsibilities — from managing day to day operations to aligning your team with your board’s strategic goals.

But you don’t have to do it alone.

CM Services is one of the leading association management companies (AMCs) that works with you on your road to executive director greatness. Our expert team is ready to offer you ongoing support.

Our suite of services strengthens and streamlines your duties. In particular, our executive leadership services help you handle daily operations as well as major undertakings:

• Board and committee management
• Strategic and operational planning
• Project management
• Financial and accounting

Meanwhile, you can focus on meeting the qualities of a good executive director, one step at a time. 

Contact us to speak with a specialist. We’re in this together!

Featured image via Pexels