ABSTRACT
The nature and complexity of the multiple responsibilities required of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a large non-profit association are discussed. The author discusses his role as CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA), a membership organization of 155,000 members and affiliates, with a staff of 500 and an annual budget of $85 million. Certain personal attributes of psychologist-presidents and psychologist-managers, including empathy, social skills, emotional intelligence, self-assessment, self-regulation, motivation, and optimism, are posited as necessary to develop, sustain, and guide a healthy organization.
