succession planning - pass it on center

Succession Planning: A Key Sustainability Strategy

January 19, 2010

Carolyn Phillips and Trish RedmonDownload Webinar working package from http://www.passitoncenter.org/content/

http://www.passitoncenter.org/content/

Learning Objectives

1. To understand the purpose

2. To identify key positions

3. To perform “gap analysis”

4. To design a development plan

Download the worksheets for this Webinar from the Knowledge Base.

www.passitoncenter.org/content/ under New or Sustainability.

Pass It On Center | Succession Planning Webinar | Jan. 19, 2010

http://www.passitoncenter.org/content/

Definitions

Succession Planning• Is a subset of workforce planning in which

critical positions are targeted and staff are prepared to qualify for the target positions

• Sometimes called “building bench strength” or “building depth”


Why?

Purpose: Succession planning is a key to sustaining the reuse program because it ensures that the most important assets are present –human resources with the knowledge and skills to accomplish the mission.

Goal: To avoid a personnel gap that diminishes or delays service to customers.


Succession Planning

Benefits:

Strengthens program’s capacity for long-term sustainability

Ensures smooth transition in change of leaders or key employees

Affords development opportunities for staff and Board members

Serves as indicator of program health topotential donors

1 2 3 4


Challenges to tackling the issuefor leadership

For Leadership succession:• No anticipated change in near future• Absence of obvious candidates for development• Attempt to do plan leadership succession might

highlight issues (overwhelming job, inadequate resources, low compensation)

• Insecurity of the incumbent? (Not any of us!)


Planning for leadership succession

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

Consider short-term, interim and permanent replacement situations with Board, Council

Identify candidates for each of the three circumstances

Define training opportunities in critical skills and competencies for candidates

Formalize the plan in writing; communicate it to staff


Planning for leadership succession:Differing circumstances

Sustainable programs have consistent leadership (not gaps from lack of planning). A decision-maker should be available at all times.

• A “caretaker” for planned, brief absences: business travel, day off, ordinary illness

• A capable interim leader for longer absences: vacations, conferences, extended family emergencies, major illness or other unplanned absences

• A competent back-up for transition or replacement


Leadership succession:Identifying candidates

• Start with candidates who have expressed interest in leadership (of this program or others); may be Board members or key employees

• Permanent replacement of the leader is a Board (or agency leader) decision, but program continuity is a responsibility of leader and advisory group. Don’t be the charismatic leader whose mission depends on one person. Think about the people served by the program.

• Exercise leadership. Think about replacements and initiate the discussion with the appropriate parties.


Leadership succession:Training opportunities

• Become a project-driven organization. This affords more opportunities for leadership roles.

• Introduce coaching and mentoring.• Create opportunities for would-be leaders to

interact with Board, donors and customers.• Involve leadership candidates in budgeting,

planning and decision-making.• Leave someone in charge when the leader is

away for short absences; discuss and evaluate the experience.

• Identify formal training opportunities: courses, seminars, conferences, Webinars, etc .


Leadership succession: A plan

• Formalize the leadership succession planning in writing. Get Board or agency leader approval.

• Share the development plan with major supporters/donors.

• Communicate the importance of planning to the staff.

• Tie leadership succession planning to key employee succession planning so that it is perceived as part of the mission.


Challenges to tackling the issuefor key employees

For Key Employee succession:• No time for training (people to do the work

while employee is training)• No money for training• No readily available resources for the

training needed• Lack of commitment? It’s not easy.


Succession Planning: The Process for Key Employees

Track progress

Identify key positions, priorities

Assessbench

strength

Perform gap

analysisDevisedevelopment

strategies

Succession Planning

Model

1. 2.

3.

4.

5.


Step 1: Using a tool to identify key positions and priorities

Key Positions Worksheet

Area/Dept. Key Position(s) Incumbent PositionImpact

(L-H: 1-10)

VacancyRisk

(L-H: 1-3)

Priority

Fin/Acct

HR


Identifying key positions

AREA Key Position Incumbent Position

ImpactVacancy

RiskPriority

Finance & Accounting

Accountant Bill G.

ProgramOperations

Technician Jose M.

User Services

Intake ClerkO.T.

Alicia R.Maya K.

MarketingCoordinator Keenah V.

Human Resources

Coordinator Pearl M. Outsourced


Using Worksheet #1 to assess priorities

Key Positions Worksheet• In Column 1, check (or insert) the key

functional areas in your reuse program.• In Column 2, identify the positions that are

key to the program’s activities.• In Column 3, insert the name of the person

who currently holds the position.


Assessing priorities, cont.’

Key Positions Worksheet, cont.’• Column 4: Assess position impact – the

difficulty of replacing the person based on function, responsibility, authority and skills– Low (1-3) Common knowledge, skills– Medium (4-7) Important knowledge, skills– High (8-10) Critical, unique knowledge (a

specialist), or a competitive market



Key Positions Worksheet, cont.’• Column 5: Assess likelihood of vacancy – due

to marketability, approaching retirement, other interests, personal circumstances– Low (1) Greater than five years– Medium (2) Within five years– High (3) Within one year



Key Positions Worksheet, cont.’• Column 6: Assign priorities.

– Add Cols. 4 and 5 – The sum of these columns should determine your priorities in developing backup, with the larger numbers getting priority.

– Number the priorities.


Assign priorities

AREA Key Position Incumbent Position

ImpactVacancy

RiskPriority


Accountant Bill G. 8 1 9 = #3

ProgramOperations

Technician Jose M. 9 3 12 = #1

User Services

Intake ClerkO.T.

Alicia R.Maya K.

49

12

5 = #511 = #2

MarketingCoordinator Keenah

V.7 1 8 = #4

Human Resources



Step 2: Assess bench strength

AREA Key Position Incumbent Backup #1 Backup #2 Notes

LeadershipDirector Elaine S. Bill – for

short term


Accountant Bill G.

ProgramOperations

Technician Jose M.

User Services

Intake ClerkO.T. (.25)

Alicia R.Maya K.

Emerg. KV


V.Elaine covers emergencies

Human Resources



Identifying candidates for backup training

How do you choose candidates?• Start with expressed interest from the

person (performance evaluation goal-setting or comments)

• Consider who already knows portions of other jobs and would be interested


Identify candidates to increase bench strength

AREA Key Position Incumbent Backup

#1Backup

#2 Notes

Leadership Director Elaine S. Bill G.


Accountant Bill G. Susan M., board member w/ exp and interest

ProgramOperations

Technician Jose M. Andy J. , Volunteer

User Services

Intake ClerkO.T. (.25)

Alicia R.Maya K.

Brenda W., volunteer

?????

Emerg. KV


V.Pearl

Human Resources

Coordinator Pearl M. Keenah Outsourced


Step 3: Perform Gap Analysis

Gap Analysis• Use job descriptions to identify competencies

or skills that are essential to the job• Identify training competencies and skills that

target backups need to learn (Worksheet #3, column 2)


Step 4: Design a Development Plan

Development Plan• Determine additional training required for

each individual• Identify a source for training – OJT cross-

training, on-line Webinars or courses, local training/education (Worksheet #3, Col. 3)


Developing the Plan, cont.’

Development PlanMap a timeline for all proposed training and

development. (You probably can’t do this in one year, maybe not even in two.) Worksheet #4 is one way to present a multi-year plan.


Developing the Plan, cont.’

Development Plan

• Prepare a budget for the training.• You may want a one-page plan. The one-page plan

is great for use as a monitoring tool. Track your progress as employees complete training.

• Perhaps you should draft a succession plan you can share with your board or advisory council. See the outline in the training package.


Summary

• Planning for uninterrupted leadership is key to sustaining the program.

• Developing successors for all key positions contributes to consistent service, sustains the program and builds a better-qualified staff.

• Failure to do succession planning can be as damaging as failure to obtain operating income.

• Commitment is as important as money in succession planning.


Questions or Suggestions?

[email protected]@passitoncenter.org

CEUs are now available for Pass It On Center Webinars through the AAC Institute.


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