11 Qualities of a Good Executive Director: What Members Expect

By |Published On: September 13, 2024|
A group of association members smile and speak around a table to illustrate the qualities of a good executive director.

You wear many hats as an association Executive Director — mentor, counselor, results driver, mission advocate, figurehead, board collaborator. The list goes on.

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.

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 have to talk to your association members and board members. 

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.

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 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. 

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 an Executive Director means adapting to change.

One of the smartest ways to find where you should shift positions or tactics is asking for feedback. 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. 

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 your members stick around.

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. 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. 

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.

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.

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 meetingsfollow 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. 

But you don’t have to do it alone.

CM Services is an experienced AMC 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

Leave A Comment