A well-planned leadership transition is a chance for organization growth, innovation and acceleration as an organization “heads around the curve”. There is risk in transition, and there is also opportunity. The hiring and transition from one leader to the next is a chance to:
- Examine the facts and articulate the current state;
- Assess and optimize the budgetary impact of the transition (both challenges and opportunities);
- Re-focus or recommit to organizational priorities;
- Clarify the values that you want to model during the transition and that will guide the selection; and
- Outline the goals the organization envisions achieving during the period of leadership transition.
For nonprofits, a Board’s first tier transition goals begin (almost always) with words that say: “to attract high quality candidates and to secure the services of the best of them within the resources the non-profit has available.”
Second tier transition goals are the key strategies to develop, distinct for each organization and derived from an analysis of the UNIQUE point in time the organization is facing. With clearly articulated first and second tier transition goals the Board can outline their leadership transition plan that weaves communications, brand and operational strategy that to address these questions:
- What information will you share with the world, and discuss in detail with your candidates? How can such information be shared most effectively?
- What are your priority selection criteria? What information, materials and/or references will you gather to assess each candidate (and when and how?)
- What’s the work plan for decision-making? Who is involved and in what way? What’s the timeline?
- How will you involve key stakeholders in the final interviews, meetings and/or selection processes to assure you optimize their buy-in to the new leader?
- How (and which) Board and staff members will be involved?
- How will you honor the passage of the retiring leader? IF YOUR LEADER IS RETIRING, How will IT be positioned for maximum brand advantage?
- How will you assure transfer of knowledge from “one administration” to the next? What do you expect the retiring leader to document?
- Traditions, rituals and niceties to consider?
- What does the first month “welcoming” strategy look like, as you introduce the new leader to staff, Board, stakeholders and the community?
The opportunities of leadership transition, when optimized with well-considered goals and good planning, can have substantial impact on the success of the transition. Or, you can just hire the replacement and let the chips fall where they may.