Succession Planning (comments by Ruth)

It can be difficult for founder Executives to objectively face the reality that they need to be thinking about the next generation of leadership for their organization. The agency is in many ways, like a child, much longed for and once ‘arrived’ carefully and lovingly nurtured into ‘adulthood’. It is understandable then to find it hard to think about a time when one must stand aside and let the adult agency move forward under someone else’s care and leadership. However, not to do so is similar to the negative effect of a parent being enmeshed in the life of an adult child. The agency can begin to struggle as it tries to sort out how best to move forward.

Just as the bricks and mortar of the agency’s physical structures must be cared for as to renovations, relocation when the physical space is outgrown or new opportunities are pursued, etc., so too must the leadership succession be anticipated and planned for if all of the hard work and success of the founders are to be maintained and maximized into the future.

Succession planning best begins with the core mission and strategy of the agency. It is good to have a look at what leadership characteristics and capabilities were brought to the founding and growing of the agency that helped to make it the success that it has become. Articulating the key leadership competencies form the basis of identifying what is needed in the new generation of leadership if the current culture of the agency is to be maintained. A second step is to evaluate existing staff within the agency to identify those who may be viable candidates for future leadership development. These individuals can be assessed against the desired leadership capabilities and development plans created for growth into new leadership levels.

With the proper planning, objective evaluation and development of existing staff, new leaders can be grown, thereby allowing the agency to continue to enjoy the benefit of the wisdom and expertise of existing leadership while at the same time enabling a smooth transition into the next generation of leaders.