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Succession Planning: The Elephant in the Conference Room
Phyllis Weiss HaserotPractice Development [email protected]
Kathleen LuceyMontague Technology Management, [email protected]
How NOT to do Succession Planning….
Today’s Objectives
Part I: Recognizing different kinds of elephants
Part II: Group Exercise: what YOUR elephant looks like
Part lll: Learn how to train your elephant
Identifying Your Elephant
Focus to get a clear image:
Susceptible positions
Unique contributors
Potential loss or additional expense
Questions to Get Started...
WHY ?
WHO ?
WHAT ?
WHERE ?
WHEN ?
√ WHY ?
Is This a Continuity Issue?
YES!
Unexpected departures may cause process disruptions, revenue losses, and/or require unanticipated expenses.
Can This Be an Enterprise Survival Issue?
YES!
Sufficient losses and extra expenses may lead to company failure. OR
Loss of key leader / designer / salesperson may cause fatal erosion of competitive position.
Very High Probability
APPROACHES 1.0!
Much higher probability than other business interruption events that BC commonly plans for.
Who: Positions
• Provider of critical services • Revenue generator: “rainmaker”• Office managers• Design or other creative talent• Executive management, sometimes • Administrative assistants, sometimes• Others? Who in your organization fits this profile?
Who: Unique Contributors
Warning Signs:• Single-person functions• Outsourced functions• Function stops when person is away• Sketchy or missing process documentation• Repeated refusal to train or work with another
staff member
What
√ Establish the type and size of vulnerability.
√ Measure impact in time and loss type.
– Revenue loss– Extra expense– Erosion of competitive position– Loss of business leadership
Where
√ In all the usual places
√ In many other environments
– Technology– Design– External specialists– Personal support– Facilities and Operations
IN ALL ORGANIZATIONS...including yours.
What’s Going on in Your Organization? PART II: GROUP EXERCISE
First as individuals, then as a small group:
• List the most critical persons in your organization: position; department – choose one.
• Why so valuable? Importance of contribution, time and cost to replace. Estimate potential loss types.
Report to large group; discussion.
Part III: Training Your Elephant
Why Don’t Organizations Plan
for Succession?
• Denial • Large initial time investment • Internal dynamics – behavioral
issues
What Are the Tough Behavioral Issues?
• Lack of openness and information sharing• Control – people who won’t let go• Non-collaborative cultures• No one takes ownership• Quick to deflect and assign blame• Territoriality – people and departments • Involuntary succession
The Successful Elephant Trainer Will...• Own the issue, take charge, raise awareness.
• Include HR, relevant others on your team.
• Analyze lost revenues/extra expense; make the business case.
• Anticipate individual behavioral issues.
• Get an internal champion; get training or specialized external expertise.
• Make successes visible.
Publicize early successes
Golden Boy I Golden Boy II
Resistant cultures can CHANGE with time and successes!
PLEASE REMEMBER TO:
• Fill out and turn in your evaluation form.• Leave a business card:
• To receive an electronic copy of this presentation: write “PPT”
• To receive a summary of the exercise results: write “RESULTS”
• Get some peanuts for your elephant from the Certified Elephant Trainer on your way out!
Questions ??
Phyllis Weiss HaserotPractice Development [email protected]
Kathleen LuceyMontague Technology Management, [email protected]
