Field Notes
The first ninety days in a German nonprofit leadership seat
New leaders sometimes try to rebrand the organisation in month one. In many German Vereine and gGmbHs that move reads as disrespect for institutional memory.
Week one to three: listen in structured form. Meet the Vorstand or Aufsicht, the Betriebsrat if present, and the people who hold informal power among volunteers. Ask how decisions were made during the last funding crunch, not only how the Leitbild reads on the website.
Week four to eight: map cash timing against program promises. A beautiful Konzept that outruns Zuwendungsbescheide creates quiet conflict. Document what you inherit — open Fördermittel, pending Personalentscheidungen, and landlord or Träger obligations.
Week nine to twelve: propose two or three operational adjustments with visible owners and dates. Save larger Satzung or strategy debates for when you have credit in the room. Employment consulting clients who pace trust this way rarely need a dramatic “turnaround” narrative later.