Succession Planning is NOT Just for Executives

(Part II of the series on Succession Planning)

Leadership teams hear “succession planning” and think Executive Suite. CEO. COO. Board Chair. With succession planning framed as the”what-if” conversation for leaders at the top of the org chart, it’s seen as an exclusive and sensitive insurance policy.

And that’s okay…if it stops there.

Think about how powerful your succession plan could be if it was embraced at every level of your organization. A succession plan—even one drafted for your COO—should not just be about identifying your next CEO. It should be a multi-tiered professional development plan that sets your organization up for scalable, long-term growth.

Stop Planning for Reaction. Start Planning for Growth.

“Who replaces the director if they leave?”

“What skills should our coordinator develop to be ready for director role in two years—and what does that org chart look like?”

When your succession plan shifts from planning for reaction to planning for growth, it completely changes the message you’re sending to your team. Rather than a to-do list for replacing key employees, your succession plan becomes a living document that shows your employees you have a vested interest in their future with your company. Transparent succession plans are the retention tool employers have been searching for. There’s nothing worse than breathing relief after a team member gives you their two week’s notice. Retain top talent by replacing uncertainty with clarity. Outline their professional growth path within your organization and watch them buy-in to your mission once again.

Succession Planning = Org Chart Development

A good mission statement will rarely need to evolve. But organizational charts? Organizations constantly need to adapt their charts to keep pace with growth. By introducing succession planning conversations at the middle management and coordinator levels, you force your executive team to look a hard look at your org chart.

I won’t sugar coat it—looking at your succession plan below the director level will very likely expose holes in your org chart. You’ll find a director with too much on their plate doesn’t have a clear successor because there is no one on the coordinator level capable of taking on a director role. But that shouldn’t just inspire a professional development plan for your coordinators. That should inspire a new level on your org chart. Filling in the succession gaps below your directors will naturally lead you to developing your org chart so there are clear steps and defined roles between coordinator and director.

Illustration of a Healthy Succession Pipeline

There are three levels to focus on when building a healthy succession pipeline: The Coordinator Level, The Director Level, and The Board Level.

Coordinator Level

At this level, your succession plan is strictly professional development. Start by cross-training your coordinators on next-level administrative and operational work. Then start inviting them to the “why” conversations. Let them in on strategic planning sessions so they understand how their work contributes to the bigger picture.

Director Level

Great Directors understand their role is one of operational rigor and leadership. Directors should always be grooming their replacement. If a Director can’t leave their department for a week without everything grinding to a halt, they haven’t built a team. They’ve built minion.

Board Level

Building your Board succession plan starts 3-5 years before you need to fill a spot. Too often, organizations look to fill an empty board seat by sifting through whatever qualified friends in their network. Instead, look to your strategic plan. What expertise (i.e. legal, finance, HR) will your board need three to five years from now? Recruit board committee members who can plug into those gaps today and be ready to step into a board role when your plan comes due.

Three Steps to Building a Multi-Level Succession Plan Today

If you want to turn succession planning from a reactive “C-suite folder” into a pro-active org-wide growth strategy, start with these three action items.

1. Draft a “Skills, Not Title” Chart

Instead of identifying who should replace your Director of Operations, focus on the specific skills your next Director of Operations should possess. Then evaluate your existing staff against that skills chart. Where are your gaps? Where will you spend your professional development dollars?

2. Facilitate “Skip-Level” Mentoring

Encourage your budding coordinators and junior managers to shadow and learn from executives two levels above them. Not only will this help flatten your org structure and provide critical context to your junior staff, but it will also allow your executive team to assess the strength of your leadership pipeline.

3. Evaluate Directors and Managers on “Leadership Cultivation”

When it comes time to evaluate your Directors and Managers, “leadership cultivation” should be a major KPI. We don’t want teams that are only as strong as their leader. We want teams that have leaders who proactively develop their own successors.

A successful succession plan democratizes leadership opportunities. Great organizations aren’t dependent on any one leader. They have multiple people ready and waiting to lead at every level.