Case Study: A Youth Development Agency With Growing Pains

You are the newly-hired executive director of a community-based youth agency with a budget of $350,000. In this capacity, you would have 8 employees, including an administrative assistant, 2 program directors, a business manager and 4 case workers. You have a master of social work degree, and have recently served as the associate executive director of a citywide youth program with a one million dollar budget and 40 employees.

The board of directors of your former agency was well on its way to becoming institutionalized. The board consisted of a number of up-andcoming civic leaders. For the most part, they did not get involved with the day to day affairs of running the organization. They did serve as staff volunteers from time to time, assisting with occasional mailings and phone banking.

You accepted the job of executive director of this agency because of the significant opportunity to develop your own leadership skills, while growing the agency. This would be an excellent stepping stone to a leadership position at a larger city wide agency or local affiliate of a national agency.

The agency that you are currently working in was founded by a team of dedicated people who have a passion for youth. Seven of the 10 board members were founders. You notice that the board members are very hands on, and…