Before I address anything else I want to call your attention to a very important newswire written by my colleague, Rick Cohen today. In it he questions the practice of foundation heads who decline to reveal their salaries to the media. He asks whether in an age of increased transparency – does this set the right tone?

On another related note…

NPQ is in the middle of a search for a publisher (I will be sharing the so-called “C Suite” office and spending more time in editorial!); and yesterday, our search consultant, Ted Ford Webb, said to me that in transitions that involve founders, it is generally best to consider the founder guilty until proven innocent. This, I believe, is commentary about the occasionally insufferable and sometimes clueless behavior of founders. Here at NPQ we love those types, because they tend to be the insistent ones who get things done—but (let’s be honest) in the midst of a process that requires extended periods where one is required to exhibit emotional intelligence, they may be challenged. But possibly I paint with too broad a brush and am projecting just a bit.

In any case, I am lucky to have been forced to read many excellent articles about executive transitions and founders in my role as editor, so I have no excuses for bad behavior. Which brings me to my point. Today, NPQ and BoardSource are sponsoring a webinarwith three experts who are among the best-informed people in the United States regarding executive transitions. They wrote “Exit Agreements for Nonprofit CEOs: A Guide for Boards and Executives”—which, as far as I know, is the first of our sector’s guide of its kind.

So I want to invite you to join us at 1 p.m. Come and ask any questions you have—legal or otherwise—about what is essential to pay attention to in such agreements. Even if you are not facing an immediate transition, it is important information for both boards and executives.