If you are the CEO of a nonprofit, it’s important that you recognize that the E in your title stands for more than just executive. It also stands for external.

Every day, whether you intend to be or not, you are working on public relations, community outreach, business development and partnerships for your organization.

You are the Chief External Officer.

Here are some important things to remember as you use exercise your new title:

1. Know your brand.
You should know your positioning, mission, values, the story behind your logo and at least one way people can donate or work with you each season. Make your marketing leader proud and expand your team’s efforts by being knowledgeable and brand led.

2. Your external facing departments should report up to you, not your operations counterpart.
This doesn’t have to be directly, but in some form your structure should have the following departments filtering info up to you:

-marketing/communications
-events
-fundraising & development
-community outreach

3. Empower an operations counterpart who can ease the internal side of your responsibilities.
Allowing you to be in touch with your entire organization, but give extra attention to the external side of your role.

4. You will always be a spokesperson.
Even if you’ve designated another one, by default of your title you can still be in the spotlight at any time.

5. You are an additional channel for communication.
Whether it be your email contact list, your LinkedIn profile or your personal social media channels. You as an individual create another avenue for expanding reach for your organization’s brand, allow your team to use you, but thoughtfully and intentionally.