Jun 30, 2026
Many nonprofit chief executives dream about taking a sabbatical, but few believe their organization is too small to offer sabbaticals. In this episode, SOJOURN Executive Director Rebecca Stapel-Wax shares how she prepared her board, staff, systems, and interim leader for a successful three-month sabbatical that ultimately strengthened the organization.
Dolph and Rebecca discuss succession planning, executive burnout, communication boundaries, re-entry planning, and the operational systems every nonprofit CEO should have in place before stepping away on a sabbatical.
This episode answers questions like:
- How do I ask my board for a sabbatical?
- Can a nonprofit executive director take a paid sabbatical?
- What should a I put in place before taking a sabbatical?
- How do I handle leadership coverage during an executive director’s sabbatical?
- How do I prepare my staff and board before taking extended leave?
- What should be included in a nonprofit succession planning playbook?
Links mentioned in this episode:
- SOJOURN: sojourngsd.org
Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:
- I took a sabbatical and so can you with David Huitstuman: [on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]
- Make your dream sabbatical a reality with Emil Raskin [Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]