Co-Executive Directorship Learnings
As BMP transitions from a decade of operating under a co-directorship model back to a single executive director, this moment offers an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned that can be useful for the field. Co-Executive Directorship Learnings draws from BMP’s internal documentation and interviews with former co-executive directors Frances Kunreuther and Sean Thomas-Breitfeld. This resource captures their insights and reflections on co-directorship in the context of BMP’s leadership transition.
The decision to adopt a co-executive director model in 2012 marked a pivotal moment for the Building Movement Project. This approach allowed Frances and Sean to leverage their individual strengths while working collaboratively on areas like research and staff supervision. Co-Executive Directorship Learnings explores their journey, offering valuable insights on:
- Leading across age, gender, and racial differences
- The distinction between shared and distributed leadership
- Choosing leadership structures based on an organization’s evolving needs
- Viewing co-directorship as a feminist approach to leadership and management
Frances and Sean’s leadership tenure at BMP has created a rich legacy of learning and raised new questions for the field about the potential and challenges of shared leadership models.
