March 2010 Deep Insights

Succession planning is often a discussion limited to the Executive Suite when it should be organization wide, based on developing future skills to compliment current skills. The environment we live and work in has changed throughout history; environmental changes should not be a crisis situation for any organization.

Succession planning begins with recruiting candidates who fit a profile for today’s environment and have the ability to adapt to tomorrows. Once identified, candidates should be tested for learning capabilities, ability to collaborate in a diverse workforce and desire to make contributions. Interviews should be conducted with a profile of the perfect fit in mind to determine if the person’s skills match today’s needs. The interviewers must also determine the persons desire to adapt and learn new skills as the work environment changes. Interviews should be conducted by at least three employees with the policy of if “yes” then onto the next interview and if “no” then an exit the process is initiated. Hiring should never be a speed process. Slow and cautious will bring the best results.

Next, the organization must take steps to ensure that the employee understands what it will take to pass muster in the organization, to whom they report and to whom they can ask for support. Structured feedback intervals should be established with exact criteria for positive reports. New employees should be encouraged to be proactive in their responsibilities; seeking collaboration with seasoned workers to share their observations or recommendations. Finally, in this second step the new employee should understand they are evaluated not only by a manager but that their peers will also provide input.

Once on the team, employees should be aware of the skills they are expected to develop and recognized for the skills they already have. Unfortunately, this “development” stage is often the missing ingredient in succession planning. Too often companies do not connect learning new skills to strategy. Consequently, they find themselves in a crisis with few or no people who have the skills to execute. Strategy must be studied in terms of the skills required to execute tactics, and against an inventory of available skills. Through this process an organization can determine gaps and initiate the training required with enough time to become proficient in those needed skills, before execution. Development of skills according to position is integral for successful succession from one strategy to another.

Succession is not an executive program it is an organizational strategy that must begin at the beginning, regardless of the entry position.