Free 15-minute assessment
A quick, confidential conversation to understand what's going on and confirm I'm the right person to help. Phone or video. No prep needed.
Crisis Management
Executive Stability
Executive Stability
If everything in your business stayed exactly as it is right now — would you be okay in 3 months?
Most leaders hesitate when they answer that. I'm David Chehade. For 15 years I've been the person leaders call in pressure moments to stabilise organisations and fix structure — fast.
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Free 15-minute call · No obligation · Confidential
Trusted by leaders in schools, NFPs & family businesses.
0years
Crisis leadership across for-profit & not-for-profit
$0.0M
Recovered for one independent school
0entities
Restructured from near-insolvency
PhD
Crisis Management, 2024
Common questions
Before you pick up the phone.
What if my situation isn't actually a crisis? add
Most of the leaders I speak with aren't in full crisis — they sense something isn't right but can't quite name it. That's the right time to talk. Catching drift early is the entire point of this work.
Is this confidential? add
Yes. Every conversation, every engagement. Nothing is shared, named, or referenced externally without your written approval. Most of my work is confidential by default — that's why this page doesn't list client testimonials.
How is this different from a business coach? add
Coaching is about your development as a leader. This is about stabilising the organisation around you. I work on structure, governance, financial position, and the decisions in front of you right now — not your personal growth journey.
What does it actually cost? add
The first call is free. The 1-hour clarity session is $300 + GST. The Executive Stability Review is $2,495 + GST. Anything beyond that is scoped and quoted before it begins — no surprises, no monthly retainers you can't get out of.
I'm worried about how this looks. Can we keep it discreet? add
Yes. This is something a lot of leaders worry about, and it's why discretion is built into how I work. You don't need to involve your board, your team, or anyone else until you decide to. The first conversation is just between us.
What happens after the 15-minute call? add
One of three things. Either we agree it's not the right fit and you go on your way with no obligation. Or we book the 1-hour clarity session. Or — if it's clearly bigger than an hour — we go straight to scoping the Executive Stability Review.
What does an engagement with you actually cover? add
Depending on what you need, work typically falls into one of these areas: pre-crisis stabilisation when something feels off but isn't yet broken; executive and board alignment when leadership tensions are slowing decisions; financial and operational review when the numbers don't tell the full story; governance and structure work for boards under pressure; post-crisis recovery once the worst is past; and fractional executive support (CEO or COO) for organisations that need experienced hands inside the room for 3–12 months. We'll work out which fits in the 15-minute call.
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Free 15-minute call · No commitment · Confidential
How it works
A clear path — from first conversation to clear plan.
Four clear steps. Most leaders stop at step 2 or 3. Here's what each one looks like.
1-hour clarity session
If it makes sense to go deeper, we book a focused hour. You leave with the top 3–5 priorities and a sharper read on your situation — backed by a written summary within 24 hours.
Executive Stability Review
A 3–5 day rapid assessment of leadership, alignment and operational risk. Delivered as a concise executive briefing with 5–7 critical findings and priority actions for the next 30–90 days.
Ongoing support, if needed
Inside the Review I'll recommend what fits — coaching, fractional executive work, board advisory, or post-crisis stabilisation. Only if it's right for your situation.
Most engagements stop at step 2 or 3 — that's by design.
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Free first call · No card · No obligation
What we help with
Three focus areas where leaders need clarity fast.
Pre-crisis stabilisation, executive and board alignment, and decision clarity when growth has stalled — the situations that keep showing up in the room.
Pre-crisis stabilisation
Spot the quiet warning signs early. We diagnose drift, fatigue and misalignment before they harden into a full crisis — restoring control to the leadership table.
Executive & board alignment
Surface the unspoken tensions between executive, board and key stakeholders. We translate competing pressures into a shared diagnosis and a clear path forward.
Decision clarity under pressure
When growth has stalled or the picture feels muddied, we cut through the noise — giving you a prioritised set of moves you can confidently take in the next 30–90 days.
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Free 15-minute assessment · No obligation · Confidential
Who we help
Built for leaders carrying real weight.
CEOs, principals and executive leaders. Boards. Organisations in transition. Faith-based organisations, schools and not-for-profits. Businesses over $5M. Founders preparing for succession. Confidential by default.
CEOs, Principals & Executive Leaders
Boards seeking independent insight
Organisations in transition
Faith-based, schools & not-for-profits
Businesses over $5M needing clarity
Founders preparing for succession
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Confidential by default · Public testimonials on request
Track record
Real outcomes from leadership work under real pressure.
Three engagements where the brief was simple — stabilise the organisation, restore the numbers, give the board a clear path forward.
Southern Vales Christian College
Head of Operations · Apr 2023 – Jan 2026
+$2.1M
$500K in operational savings plus $1.6M annual income uplift through funding work. Expanded Early Learning Centre capacity and built financial and strategic plans for long-term sustainability.
Inspire Community Services & Inspire Church
General Manager & CEO · Oct 2016 – Dec 2018
55% → 98%
Pulled a near-insolvent community-services group back to recovery. Childcare occupancy lifted in 12 months while restructuring 9 related entities. Directed the financial and legal strategy that avoided bankruptcy.
Dara School
Director · Co-Chair & Treasurer · May 2024 – Present
2 leaders
Steering governance and growth through a leadership transition. Principal and business manager transitions handled in year one of chairmanship. Lead governance, compliance and risk-management initiatives.
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Real outcomes · Confidential engagements · 15 years experience
Is this you?
Five questions most leaders answer too late.
Drawn from doctoral research into how organisations slide into crisis. Answer honestly. If you say yes to even one, that's the moment to act.
Said yes to one or more? That's the moment to act.
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Confidential · No obligation
- check Has your organisation experienced a significant decline in trust from stakeholders — staff, board, customers, or community — over the past six months?
- check Are there unresolved internal conflicts or divisions among senior leadership that are slowing decisions?
- check Has the organisation faced negative publicity, scrutiny, or reputational pressure recently?
- check Have key staff or leadership roles turned over more than usual in the past year?
- check Is there a decline in financial position, or unaddressed financial, legal or regulatory pressure?
Limited monthly availability
Don't wait for it to become a crisis.
If something feels off, that's the moment to act. Fill out the form above, or schedule a call directly. We'll figure out what's going on and what — if anything — needs to happen next.
Free 15-minute call · No obligation · Confidential