Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Sydney Parent

Abstract

AbstractNonprofit organization Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) bring their unique experiences to their executive positions but are often unprepared for new responsibilities and challenges, which require a broad skill set. The problem identified was the gap in professional development in unexpected and acute areas. This study aimed to explore the on-the-job learning of nonprofit CEOs and the professional development training needed to support them in their position. Kolb’s experiential learning framework was used to develop the study that examined the strategies used to gain the knowledge needed to perform effectively in their CEO roles. The research questions focused on understanding how CEOs currently learn skills needed for their position and what tools and resources would be useful for improving their effectiveness. A basic qualitative research design was used to collect data through a two stage process. First, a survey was emailed to 146 CEOs, with 12 responding. The second step was conducting semistructured interviews online with 5 CEOs to further explore the survey responses. The responses from both groups were analyzed using codes and themes and synthesized to compare and contrast the data. The analysis showed that CEOs learn best from peer groups and need added training and resources in crisis management and communication, fiscal education, and board development. A three day professional development training was developed to address CEO professional knowledge gaps. Implications of positive social change may occur with increased CEO competencies that enhance their understanding of the strategies and newly acquired knowledge that increase their effectiveness for successfully leading nonprofit organizations.

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