Back to Index

Succession Planning

If you had to replace a key manager tomorrow due to illness, injury, termination or resignation, would you have a candidate or two ready to step in from your current management team? Does that scenario scare you? If you haven't prepared a succession plan, you are leaving yourself open to a rocky transition on your management team. Don't feel like you are alone in this matter. Most companies are so busy dealing with organizational chaos that they haven't even taken time to figure out where they are headed let alone who is going to lead them there, but that is whole different discussion. So what can you do and where do you start? Here are some beginning steps:

You need a game plan and it starts with the management team sitting down and determining what their key positions are, the requirements to fill those positions successfully, and work experiences that support the requirements. You will need to have each manager sit down and write out the key elements of their position. This is something that should be done periodically. If you have done it recently, then just update it and be sure it is accurate. It should be done annually. If you haven't done it at all, this is a good time to start.

Assess your current management team to see who you have on your team and what their capabilities are. This should be a three-part process. First, you need to have managers determine who their replacement would be (if they even have one ready). Second, you should assess all managers with the Profile XT Assessment to determine their job-fit for the positions. Third, managers should be assessed with the CheckPoint 360° Feedback Assessment to see where they are lacking and need developing. Once you have this information, the management team can start looking at developmental needs of the organization and of the specific managers.

You plan should go four to five levels deep. Whenever a manager leaves, it causes a domino-effect and you need to replace several managers at once. Going deep in your planning will ensure that you are ready for the several changes. Further, the fact that several managers are considered in the long-term process creates for manager satisfaction by inclusion in the entire process.

Link the succession planning with other HR functions to make the whole package stronger. Couple it with annual reviews, high-potential manager evaluation sessions, developmental opportunities, and 360° Feedback Assessments. They all contribute to a well-defined program.

Involve managers reviewing other managers' supervisors in evaluation sessions. Sometimes the manager is too close to their supervisors and don't see their potential. Or, maybe they don't want them made available for developmental opportunities. The executive team needs to look at all of the managers and supervisors and search for the best ones to develop.
Tools that are useful are succession planning software, whole-person evaluations and 360° feedback assessments along with organizational forms and processes. You will find a great succession planning software at http://www.successionwizard.com/succession_planning_tutorials.htm

What are the advantages of a good succession plan?

• Minimized disruption of your management team;
• No recruiting costs;
• Perhaps no relocation costs;
• Strong developmental program for managerial advancement;
• Better communications with your current management team;
• Managers will be more satisfied knowing that they are being prepared to move up and if they are not ready to move up, what they need to do to be considered.
• You, the owner or senior executive, will sleep better knowing that at least your succession plan is in place.

Back to Index

^ Top