1. What is S2ET Consulting, LLC?
S2ET was founded to meet an emerging need in the non-profit field, of using the transition period between chief staff executives to perform an organizational assessment to identify operational opportunities and conduct a search for a new CEO to align with those identified needs. A planned transition is the perfect time to strengthen the organization, examine current structure, determine organizational strengths and weaknesses, and restructure for greater effectiveness. Patrick Winters, doing business as S2ET Consulting, also performs organizational evaluations and other consulting assignments.

2. Why is there a need for S2ET services?
Recent studies show that within the next five years 75% of non-profit CEO’s intend to leave their jobs. They may be baby boomers moving into retirement, or they may be CEO’s moving to larger organizations, however only one in three has discussed succession planning with their Board. Also, one in three CEO’s are fired or forced out. Transitions are going to take place and S2ET provides services to move the organization forward, at the same time conducting a search for a new CEO with the skill sets for the organization to achieve excellence.

Non-profit organizations are also very complex and highly regulated. Most board and staff do not realize the complexity until they find themselves in trouble. This can be in the way of not meeting stakeholders needs or the dreaded letters from the IRS or the state informing the organization they are out of compliance. Most non-profits think it is enough to have a financial audit completed every year but the Striving for Excellence Evaluation program is a complete organization operation evaluation (audit) that gives leadership a report on how they measure against best practices in the ten functional areas of non-profits.

3. What happens to organizations in transition without an interim executive?
Lack of leadership, lower productivity, loss of clients (members), loss of board and committee involvement, staff morale declines, poor or lack of decision making. Hiring S2ET provides the ideal opportunity to institute constructive change and take a look at the mission and operations from a fresh perspective while the day to day activities and CEO search continue.

4. Why hire S2ET?
What sets S2ET apart and above other consulting firms are many but just a few are:

• Award winning consultant who served 30 years leading nonprofits on a daily basis.
• Only consultant that has a proven organizational evaluation tool and has performed evaluations on over 25 organizations.
• Proven track record of hiring executives aligned to the needs of the organization. Does not keep a file of resumes of preferred CEO’s looking for their next job.
• Lives the mission statement and actually partners with organization to set priorities and move the organization forward during a time when most organizations stagnate or decline.
• Allows the board to continue to work on governance and performs an evaluation and search, at the same time saving the board valuable time and money.
• You are the one or one of very few clients at any one time allowing personalized service. S2ET is not a vendor/supplier but a partner.
• Negotiable fees at below market pricing. Being a small, way outside the DC beltway, low overhead cost consulting firm allows S2ET greater flexibility to work within your budget. More interested in helping your organization achieve excellence than large profit margin.

6. How does S2ET assist the staff?
During a transition staff members feel alienated and confused about the present and their future. An Interim provides leadership, stability, can keep the staff updated on the process and get input on what they are looking for in a CEO.

7. How does S2ET assist the new CEO?
A study by the Center of Creative Leadership revealed that 40% of transitioning executives fail in their first 18 months. S2ET, by identifying the skill sets needed by the CEO, helps minimize the possibility of failure by identifying the priorities of the organization through the Striving for Excellence Program. In fact S2ET sets up the new CEO to succeed. See “Case Studies” section of web site. S2ET, if contracted for by the board, will provide additional orientation, on boarding, mentoring and consulting services to the new CEO.

8. Do we have to have the Striving for Excellence (SFE) Program Evaluation as part of the Interim CEO search?
No, but very few organizations have passed up the opportunity to undergo the organizational assessment. In these changing times of recruiting time starved volunteers, competing organizations, and meeting the demands of diverse members the SFE provides the fastest way for the new CEO to “get their hands around the organization and hit the ground running.”

9. Can we have the Striving for Excellence Evaluation (SFE) done without doing the executive search or interim CEO services?
Yes, the SFE has been performed independently on many organizations. A board can get validation on how the organization is operating, how it compares to its peers in benchmarking, show what policies and procedures need updating and point out weak spots without insiders feeling threatened and provide recommendations on increasing revenue and decreasing expenses. It is recommended the SFE be conducted every three years to benchmark progress and serve as an organizational health checkup, much like your audit serves as your annual financial checkup.