In my recent conversations with nonprofit and association CEOs, I’ve been struck by how often early surprises come up once someone steps into the role. I’ve now talked to about ten colleagues, and more than half shared stories about problems that surfaced within their first few weeks. Despite their due diligance during the interview process these were issues they hadn’t been warned about and couldn’t have anticipated.

When I started at NSTA, I knew it was a turnaround situation. I expected to make changes and knew there would be hard decisions. What I didn’t know was how fragile our IT systems were. Within weeks of my arrival, we were hit with a ransomware attack. Only then did we realize that all our servers were hosted on site and that our cloud backups were infrequent. We lost valuable time rebuilding systems and ensuring our files were secure. It wasn’t the kind of challenge I expected to face so soon.

As I’ve talked with other CEOs, I’ve realized I’m not alone. Some walked in to find reserves far lower than they had been led to believe. Others discovered major programs that were underperforming or in deficit. These aren’t small surprises. They are the kinds of issues that boards or search committees should have flagged during the transition, but for one reason or another, didn’t.

So what do you do when you’re brand new, still learning the organization, and suddenly discover something big that’s broken?

1. Understand what you know—and what you don’t.
Resist the instinct to act immediately. Instead, scope the problem. Gather facts and perspectives. You’ll need a clear picture before you can decide how to fix it.

2. Communicate early and clearly with the board.
Bring your executive committee or board chair in right away. Explain what you’ve discovered and outline your plan to assess the situation. You don’t need all the answers yet, but you do need their awareness and support.

3. Act quickly, but with transparency.
Once you understand the scope, move forward decisively. Communicate your actions to both staff and board. Transparency builds trust even in the middle of a crisis.

In an ideal world, none of these issues would land on a new CEO’s desk. But the nonprofit sector doesn’t always operate under ideal conditions. Leaders leave, systems lag behind, and priorities shift. Even in well-run organizations, vulnerabilities can be left unaddressed.

If you’re stepping into a new leadership role, expect the unexpected. You may not be able to prevent every surprise, but you can prepare yourself to respond with clarity, calm, and confidence.