Tips for Succession Planning

In order to design a successful succession plan, you need to first know your company/agency. Who supervises whom? Who handles which functions? Know the full organization of your company/agency.

In planning ahead you need to take into account how many employees may be leaving or retiring.  What would you do if one of your top managers had to have an operation and was going to be out for 3 months? You will need someone to fill in for that position.

Be mindful of any future skills the job might require. Although forewarning is not always possible, it is ideal for giving you enough time to choose the right candidate for the right position.

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State clear and attainable expectations for what qualities the ideal candidate would need to have. Clearly defined job descriptions with sections for required skills, experience and education should be included. (See my separate blog for extra tips on how to create effective job descriptions).

It is imperative to know the direction the firm/agency is headed because it will help in deciding what new skills and competencies employees will need in the future. For example, will there be a need for different computer skills or social media skills for the next marketing position?

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Having a database of potential internal candidates with their relevant skills and experience can reduce the time needed to identify high potential employees. Sometimes it is beneficial to have the employees be in charge of updating their own records. Their entries could be a list of updated training, certifications and education. It is important to have a set format for this listing in order to keep entries uniform and make it easy to find the right candidates.

Supervisors should be responsible for letting you know what they have observed about their employees’ abilities (see my performance evaluation blog post). The inventory of talent should include:

• Education
• All training classes
• Project Management skills
• Leadership experiences
• Technical Skills
• Etc…

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In order to groom your employees for these positions, they need to be given new opportunities that will foster development. By assigning employees to different teams or new divisions they can gain new skill sets and be exposed to fresh experiences. This includes management skills, leadership skills, and project management skills.

Some firms have established management training programs for this purpose, and others have rotated employees’ assignments every 3 months to give them diverse experiences. As a result, you will also retain superior employees because they appreciate the attention and effort that you are investing in them and their continued growth.

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It is important to combine learning with hands-on experience to fully prepare the candidate for the requirements of a higher position. This could mean offering high potential candidates opportunities for certifications or advanced degrees, and sending them to professional conferences to learn from other experts. A good example in the Public Safety area includes sending officers to the FBI Academy which includes both practical experience and classroom learning. These are great for your company/agency because those employees will bring that knowledge back with them to share.

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Putting leaders in charge of mentoring potential candidates’ serves two purposes: it gets the mentor involved in the future of the company, and it gives the mentee an experienced employee to get advice from. This is also a great method for passing on information. If an agency’s CEO/CFO abruptly leaves, for example, valuable information about operations that was shared or documented isn’t lost.

By having this mentoring program in place, you significantly decrease the chances of losing information and you increase the culture of support and team spirit. This culture of promoting from within and mentoring star players will highlight your efforts to share information, goals, and objectives and provide training for the new leaders. (See separate tips on past mentoring blog)

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If the talent development is working correctly, there should be many candidates gaining more skills and experience. Having multiple people prepared to move up provides you with a better pool of candidates to choose from to fill the position. It is always better to have a surplus of options, than to be left with none.

Be sure to balance the competition well because if too many candidates have to compete against each other for the same position, the employees may feel frustrated and leave if they do not get the position. To avoid this you may want to train them for other divisions and provide with them choices as well.

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While it is often not considered a good idea to inform employees of their status in the company, it can be very beneficial if the high potential candidates are aware they are on track for higher positions. These candidates will be less likely to leave and more likely to become motivated and more engaged. Having a career coach available to assist both the supervisor and employees could prove to be rewarding and a great way to promote this program.

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Sometimes there is not enough time to give the high potential internal candidates to develop the new skills needed before promoting them. It can be better to hire an external candidate rather than pushing an employee into a position they are not ready for. In this case, you should always be looking for candidates that may be interested in your firm. Consider contacting professional associations for recommendations of potential clients. (See tips on recruiting in separate blog entry).

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Make sure the plan is doing what it was designed to do. This is one of the most important things to be mindful of for succession planning. Because you put so much detail and attention into the planning process, it is easy to feel like all of the work has already been done. The planning process alone is not the end. You must actually put the plan into action and monitor the employee development process.

What are the amounts of leadership positions being filled by internal candidates? What are the percentages? Do the ends justify the means? If that is not happening, find out where the plan is going wrong and adjust accordingly. Note where you originally started off, check the current status, and measure the outcomes. With this final tip in place, your succession planning will become a rewarding process with ongoing results that work for your company/agency.

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What would you do if a senior member, top manager, or chief employee fell ill, resigned, or had to be fired? Are you prepared to fill sudden, unexpected vacancies within your staff?

As you grow your leadership, you need to know the key succession planning tips for effectively handling the changing workplace. Learn how to be prepared for any foreseen or surprise vacancy with these 10 tips for succession planning (check the drop down menu under HR Tips for Employers).