Understanding this big job -- Developing as an executive director -- Finding balance in the role of executive director -- Understanding nonprofit organizational culture -- Embracing your organization's values -- Creating a vision and plan -- Determining organizational effectiveness -- Embracing a changing nonprofit environment -- Understanding changing life cycle stages in nonprofits -- Leading organizational change -- Nurturing a relationship with the board -- Developing relationships with individual board members -- Establishing productive staff relationships -- Following the founder -- Engaging external stakeholders -- Embracing partnerships and collaboration -- Ensuring sound financial management -- Sustaining the organization with team-based fundraising -- Planning for healthy transitions of leadership -- Moving on : making your own career transition.