Why Succession Planning Can't Wait

In the early morning hours of September 11, the world watched in horror as commercial jetliners crashed into the World Trade Center twin towers and the Pentagon. The loss of life and the destruction of property were beyond belief.

In the midst of this national challenge, several organizations to face the sobering fact that they had lost key executives who were on the planes or in the buildings. They not only had to confront the reality that key talent and brainpower were gone forever. Immediately they had to identify positions, competencies, and skills that they needed just to stay afloat.

There's no way to plan for a disaster of the magnitude of the World Trade Center attacks. But there are specific things that an organization can do to prepare for unexpected events such as the death, defection or retirement of key personnel, especially the CEO/Executive Director. Here are five strategies for successful leadership succession

Create a sense of responsibility.
Although human resources can serve as a catalyst for effective succession planning, most successful organizations rely on senior level management or boards of directors to review and oversee this process on a regular basis. Succession planning is not something that can be delegated solely to a search firm.
Identify key leadership criteria.
It's essential that an organization know what competencies it needs to succeed today and tomorrow. Therefore you will need appropriate selection criteria or a clear picture of the leadership skills, values, behavior and attitudes required for key positions. Realize different kinds of leaders are needed at different times in the life of an organization.
Align with your strategic initiatives.
If you have done strategic planning, then you have developed three to five major focus areas to move your organization forward for a specific time period (usually three to five years). Your key personnel, including your board, needs to have the leadership capability to achieve the goals you set forth in your plan.
Find future leaders and motivate them.
An organization should have a system in place for finding star employees or board members and ensuring they're ready for key positions. This can involve any of several approaches, including leadership assessment, standard reviews, informal discussions and developmental assignments that properly prepare candidates for their new positions, as compared to a sink-or-swim approach.
Keep it simple, realistic, and part of your agenda.

There are a few tools you will need such as a list of competencies, a performance appraisal system and insight into the marketplace when you start the search process. If you are a small to medium size organization, you do not need expensive technology or systems. What you need is to make sure succession planning becomes as important as other key management processes.

Can an organization survive with a "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" approach to leadership succession? Perhaps…but there are potential problems. When a leader or key player leaves, attentions shift away from what needs to be done to wondering what's next. Then you will see momentum stopping, productivity slipping, unhealthy competition rising, customers wondering and key stakeholders getting nervous.

Should you take that chance? There is never a "safe" time to plan. There are only times when you wish you had planned better. So make the time and take the time to plan today for an unexpected tomorrow. Start right now!

Here are resources to help you build powerful leaders and powerful organizations / have powerful leaders at all levels: Coaching 4 Results, Planning 4 Change, Speaking 4 Impact, W.O.W.W. Tools.

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