Succession Planning (because no career spans 100+ years)

A few hours ago, a coaching client of mine mentioned that everywhere she looks, in all the newsletters, it’s talk of succession planning–and I laughed out loud because literally, on my to-do list for that day, was “write blog post about succession planning.”

While leaders I’m working with are still very much in the beginning-of-the-year mode–—with enrollment fluctuations and challenges, integrating new staff and students into the community and getting the physical stamina to be running around again (the first day has passed) —a lot of longtime leaders are out there thinking,

“I’m pretty sure this was my last First Day at this organization.”

Beginnings can make us think about endings, and there are the reality that everyone needs to face is that.. 

No one who works here will be working here in 100 years.

You’d be hard pressed to find a staff member who argued with you on that—and in a lot of ways, it’s difficult to wrap our heads around. After all, 100 years is a long time–I’m working with another coaching client whose organization is about to celebrate their Centennial anniversary, and Calvin Coolidge laid the cornerstone for their foundation. Calvin Coolidge!  Women had gained access to the right to vote five years before (well, really white women had–and since this was four years before Dr. King, one of many critical civil rights leaders was born, it would be decades before Black women had that access). 

So thinking of 100 years from now–it will be all flying cars and hologram meetings, right? (I wonder what my grandmother, who was born 99 years ago, would think of Zoom meetings–she died many years before that was a thing, and would that seem like a hologram meeting to her?) Maybe you work at a relatively new organization and it’s hard to imagine celebrating five years, much less 100. The reality is no matter how young your youngest staff member is, they won’t be working in 100 years. 

Using this phrase to help talk about succession planning can help remove some of the anxiety that is naturally there when people are thinking about job transitions. Anxiety and uncertainty often plague this process–it can feel taboo to talk about, so when you frame it with, “No one who works here will be working here in 100 years,” it helps to deflate some of that anxiety as people realize, “Oh, right…”. 

Sorry for the morbid image but even Logan Roy didn’t work 100+ years

There’s a lot that goes into succession planning: considering when the timing is right for you, when the timing is right for the organization, key milestones to avoid and plan around (a new Principal starting on the first day of school is… not optimal), and what the next 3-5 years are going to demand of the next leader, how those skills can be assessed in an interview process, and–since it’s usually a long list of skills–what the priority order is. There are so many groups to have succession planning conversations with–your Board Chair, the entire Board, your leadership team, staff–and it can be delicate, because you don’t want rumors and gossip to take over–in fact, you very likely want everyone to focus on their job. If done right, succession planning can be an amazing opportunity to have healthy and robust discussions that align others on what is most needed and kick start an amazing process in which every leader is thinking about their succession plan–no matter what the timing–and training their successor.

If you’re wondering where to start, or overwhelmed about what to do, book a free consultation call with me. I’d be happy to share my expertise, hear about the dynamics that are at play in your particular situation and help you as you think about this incredibly important opportunity to pass the baton to the next leader of the organization you have worked so hard to lead.