Leaving Well
There comes a time in every director’s board experience when you ask yourself. . . Is it time for me to leave?
It doesn’t matter whether you serve on a nonprofit, corporate, or Crown board. The governance principles are remarkably similar. Skills evolve. Strategy shifts. Renewal matters.
But in the nonprofit world, the process often carries a slightly gentler tone. Less formal. More relational. Sometimes more emotional because the culture is often rooted in volunteer commitment, personal passion, and long-standing relationships. Which is precisely why leaving well matters.
In the nonprofit world, there’s a polite mythology that good directors stay “as long as they’re needed.”
But the better governance question is this:
“At what point does my continued presence add less value than a thoughtful transition would?”
When you look at board tenure through three lenses — reputation, professional capacity, and impact — the answer usually becomes clearer.
The Natural Arc
Most nonprofit boards operate on three-year terms, often renewed once or twice. That 6–9 year range works for a reason:
Year 1: Learning and listening
Years 2–4: Peak contribution
Years 5–7: Institutional memory and mentorship
Beyond that: Risk of comfort over challenge
Staying past your peak isn’t wrong but it should be intentional, not automatic. Healthy governance depends on renewal.
Reputation: Leave Strong
Board service shapes your governance story.
Reasonable tenure signals commitment.
Excessive tenure can signal attachment.
The strongest reputations are built not just on loyalty but on timely exits. Leaving when you are still contributing and respected demonstrates self-awareness and succession thinking.
Professional Capacity: Be Honest
Nonprofit boards are volunteer roles with real workload.
If your career, family, or health shifts, ask whether you can still show up fully. Partial engagement erodes effectiveness quietly.
Impact: Make Room for What’s Next
Organizations evolve. The skills needed at founding are not the same as those needed at scale or stabilization.
Ask yourself:
Is the organization now in a stage that requires different expertise?
Am I creating space for new perspectives or occupying it?
Am I still asking forward-looking questions?
Sometimes your greatest contribution is making room for someone better suited to the next chapter.
How Much Notice?
Ideally: 6–12 months.
The gold standard is to:
Inform the Chair early
Help define the next skills needed
Support recruitment and onboarding
Leaving strategically, not reactively, strengthens the organization.
A Final Test
Before you decide, ask:
Am I still growing here?
Am I still contributing meaningfully?
Will the organization be stronger because of how I manage my transition?
If you can answer that third question thoughtfully, you are acting as a governor not simply a volunteer.
And that’s the point.