1. Planning for Today and Tomorrow Presented by: Ranjit Nair
Succession Planning
Developing Talent
Planning for Today and Tomorrow
Presented by: Ranjit Nair

2. What is Succession Planning?
Having the right people in the right place at the right time
An ongoing process of identifying and developing talent as well as future leaders
An opportunity to create standards for qualifications and competencies for future leaders
Providing understanding to members of the potential developmental/leadership paths available as well as development needs
What is Succession Planning?
Having the right people in the right place at the right time
An ongoing process of identifying and developing future leaders
An opportunity to create standards for qualifications and competencies for future leaders
Providing understanding to members of the potential leadership paths available and development needs 2

3. Why is Succession Planning Important?
Building the Talent for the Future
Organizational Readiness
Developing the Incumbents
Assessing Potential
Developing Leaders

4. The Drivers
Public Schools have become larger, more complex, and more challenging to manage
Fragmented staff with different and varying level of skills, experience, backgrounds, functions
Heightened focus on student achievement
Demand for more scrutiny
As school districts increase in size, intricacy, and accountability, they must invest more in the human capital that drives almost all of the services they deliver.

5. Others Perspectives
Succession planning goes beyond the basic question of selecting replacements for positions – “Replacement Planning”)
Whereas replacement planning finds backups to fill vacancies on an organizational chart, succession planning grooms talent for the future. 
Succession planning should encompass a dialogue about leadership in the public school district-what characteristics define it, who displays it, who has the potential to display it, and how to transition from the former to the latter.
The planning should elicit the opinions of all stakeholders in the district.  It should inspire a culture of vision and motivation that aligns with the district's strategic objectives and that infuses the work of all school officials.

6. 8 Steps to Effective Succession Planning
Be Purpose Driven (1)
(Re)Assess Program (8)
Plan for
Future (2)
Succession Planning
Develop Individual Plans (7)
Assess Current Needs (3)
Conduct Effective Assessments (4)
Fill in the Gaps (6)
Assess Mobility (5)

7. Step 1: Define Purpose Invest in planning and setting the stage.
Articulate the purpose, goals, and expectations of succession planning
Write a mission statement that captures the urgency of succession planning. 
Ensure that stakeholder groups, such as the current leadership team are on board
Firmly establish expectations about process duration and intensity
While we’ve talked about seven of the 21 qualities Maxwell discusses in his book, I would strongly encourage you to get this small book and read through the rest. I think it is a valuable book for leaders and non-leaders in terms of how to live your life.
OK—we’ve talked generally about leadership – but what about leadership in IAAP? The qualities that leaders possess in IAAP are:
Being positive
Serving as a role model
Someone who is sensitive and caring
Willing to mentor
Simplifying the bureaucracy – keeping it simple so others will want to follow
Accepting challenges for the future 7

8. Step 2: Plan for the Future
The succession planning (SP) process should not be designed to address today's organizational challenges, but those of the future – the needs of an evolving organization. 
SP should be deliberately proactive (growing the district's talent pool.) 
It should be used a process for reflecting on the district's future. 
endogenous factors (organizational changes, board priorities, curricular approaches, decentralization, etc.)
exogenous factors (demographics, economy, state and federal legislature, etc.)
While we’ve talked about seven of the 21 qualities Maxwell discusses in his book, I would strongly encourage you to get this small book and read through the rest. I think it is a valuable book for leaders and non-leaders in terms of how to live your life.
OK—we’ve talked generally about leadership – but what about leadership in IAAP? The qualities that leaders possess in IAAP are:
Being positive
Serving as a role model
Someone who is sensitive and caring
Willing to mentor
Simplifying the bureaucracy – keeping it simple so others will want to follow
Accepting challenges for the future 8

9. Step 3: Assess Current Leadership Needs
Examine the role of leadership in enacting the vision. 
Assess the characteristics necessary for leadership in the district. 
Build a "leadership code" that explains leadership characteristics and behaviors that drive success in the district.
Certain skills should transcend an organization and unite all of its leaders by using a "leadership code" - a consolidated viewpoint of what matters as leaders progress up the organization. 
For example, Jim Collins' popular "Good to Great" model traces a progression from capable management, the ability to make productive contributions, through effective leadership, the vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision, and, finally, to enduring executive (Principal; Asst. Principal) greatness.
While we’ve talked about seven of the 21 qualities Maxwell discusses in his book, I would strongly encourage you to get this small book and read through the rest. I think it is a valuable book for leaders and non-leaders in terms of how to live your life.
OK—we’ve talked generally about leadership – but what about leadership in IAAP? The qualities that leaders possess in IAAP are:
Being positive
Serving as a role model
Someone who is sensitive and caring
Willing to mentor
Simplifying the bureaucracy – keeping it simple so others will want to follow
Accepting challenges for the future 9

10. Leadership Hierarchy Level 5 Executive
Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical
combination of personal humility plus professional will.
Level 4
Effective Leader
Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and
compelling vision; stimulates the group to high performance standards.
Level 3
Competent Manager
Organizes people and resources toward the effective
and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.
Level 2
Contributing Team Member
Contributes to the achievement of group objectives;
works effectively with others in a group setting.
Level 1
Highly Capable Individual
Makes productive contributions through talent,
knowledge, skills, and good work habits.
Source: Jim Collins; Good to Great

11. Leadership Hierarchy – What Characteristics Matter in your District
Leadership Hierarchy – What Characteristics Matter in your District? (Sample)
Leaders need to demonstrate these qualities to be effective in our district
LEVEL 3
VISION & STRATEGY
Long term
Vision, Strategy, Systems Thinking
Ability to Prioritize
Ability to allocate resources
Process-centric
Measurement-focus
Brilliant Communicator
Gains “Buy-in”
LEVEL 2
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Subject Matter Expertise
Team Player
Good Communicator
Customer Service Orientation
Proactive Problem Solver
Results Oriented
Delivers against high expectations
LEVEL 1
HIGH PERFORMANCE
Short term

12. Step 4: Conduct Effective Assessments
Ensure open and honest feedback about an emerging leader's performance. 
Without an honest discourse about an individual's strengths and weaknesses, proactive development opportunities cannot be deliberately pursued. 
A district should evaluate its current and emerging leaders against its leadership code through development and use of a formal evaluation rubric.
To provide a relative view of these emerging leaders, districts can evaluate leadership candidates on a matrix that serves as a function of both past performance and future potential. 
One purpose of such a matrix is to identify the district's "high-potential" leaders, commonly referred to as “HiPo's".  
While we’ve talked about seven of the 21 qualities Maxwell discusses in his book, I would strongly encourage you to get this small book and read through the rest. I think it is a valuable book for leaders and non-leaders in terms of how to live your life.
OK—we’ve talked generally about leadership – but what about leadership in IAAP? The qualities that leaders possess in IAAP are:
Being positive
Serving as a role model
Someone who is sensitive and caring
Willing to mentor
Simplifying the bureaucracy – keeping it simple so others will want to follow
Accepting challenges for the future 12

13. Underperformer or Deadwood
Understanding your District’s HIPO Leaders The Performance-Potential Grid
HIGH
Workhorse or Keepers
Stars or Growers
Performance
Underperformer or Deadwood
Question Marks
Future Potential
LOW
HIGH
How can we move people between groups?
Where do the non-performers fit in the organization? Should they be forced out?
Are our resources allocated properly?

14. Understanding your District’s HIPO Leaders The Talent Matrix
“Diamond in the rough”
Loose Cannon
Problem Child
“Consistent Star”
Fully Developed
Excellent in role
Need new opportunities
“Future All-round Star”
Doing the Right Things
“Utility Pro”
Fully Competent in Role
Still Developing
Nearly ready for more responsibility
“Future Utility Player”
“Future Utility Player”
Solid Citizen
Solid in Role
“Take Action Now”
Not developing
Not competent
No potential
In wrong job
Move out
“Future Pro”
Still Developing
Not yet exceptional in role
Has potential to improve
Monitor development
“Technical Pro”
Fully competent in role
Reached potential
Getting the Right Results

15. Step 5: Assess Mobility
Further analysis is needed to evaluate the district's "bench strength" and leadership mobility within the organization. 
Districts should force themselves to complete a deep bench strength analysis, which yields measures concerning the depth of leadership talent within the organization. 
Compute this measure by listing potential successors for each major position and assigning successors a ranking to denote:
Level 1-Successor ready to lead within one year
Level 2-Successor ready in one to two years
Level 3-No successor ready within a five-year period
A Level 3 ranking presents an organizational "hole."  The lower the percentage of holes relative to key positions, the greater the organization's bench strength.
While we’ve talked about seven of the 21 qualities Maxwell discusses in his book, I would strongly encourage you to get this small book and read through the rest. I think it is a valuable book for leaders and non-leaders in terms of how to live your life.
OK—we’ve talked generally about leadership – but what about leadership in IAAP? The qualities that leaders possess in IAAP are:
Being positive
Serving as a role model
Someone who is sensitive and caring
Willing to mentor
Simplifying the bureaucracy – keeping it simple so others will want to follow
Accepting challenges for the future 15

16. Step 5: Assess Mobility
The basic bench strength measure serves as a foundation on which to calculate several other metrics of an organization's human capital inventory, such as:
Average number of candidates "ready now" for key positions
Number of vacant key positions
Percentage of positions open without "ready now" candidates
Total number of high-potential leaders in the succession pool per key position
Armed with this data, districts can make targeted investment in readying internal candidates or proactively recruiting external candidates where succession risk is present. 

17. Step 6: Fill in the Gaps
Each participant in leadership training programs should be the subject of an individualized development plan (an "IDP"). 
The plan should ask such questions as: 
For what key position should this person be prepared? 
What kinds of competencies should be developed? 
What are the individual's career objectives? 
What learning objectives should guide the individual's development?  
By what methods or strategies may the objectives be met?
Generally, the most productive lever for leadership development is on-the-job opportunities that widen the scope, increase the depth, and vary the routine of responsibilities. 
Examples of assignments that satisfy these three areas could take the form of re-launching or revamping a failing service, launching a new service, managing a turnaround situation, handling a rapidly expanding service, preparing a strategic proposal for leadership
While we’ve talked about seven of the 21 qualities Maxwell discusses in his book, I would strongly encourage you to get this small book and read through the rest. I think it is a valuable book for leaders and non-leaders in terms of how to live your life.
OK—we’ve talked generally about leadership – but what about leadership in IAAP? The qualities that leaders possess in IAAP are:
Being positive
Serving as a role model
Someone who is sensitive and caring
Willing to mentor
Simplifying the bureaucracy – keeping it simple so others will want to follow
Accepting challenges for the future 17

18. Step 6: Fill in the Gaps
In addition to on-the-job opportunities, organizations may be able to invest in expert leadership coaching and mentoring with good results. 
Through a "360 degree" evaluation, expert coaches help leaders to understand all their areas of strength and weakness and to grow their emotional intelligence. 
Best practice coaching structures follow a sequence of enrolling the individual, building a relationship, fact-finding based on existing and new assessment data, collaborating to create a development plan, coaching to the development plan, evaluating the process relative to stated objectives, and planning next steps.

19. Step 7: Develop Individual Transition Plans
To facilitate a smooth transition, districts should structure plans that outline the process of orienting new leaders. 
Transition plans have been used by new superintendents for some time, but enormous variance exists in design and approach 
Transition plans can be applied to a broad variety of senior leadership positions
The product is a results-oriented plan around specific desired outcomes in managerial and organizational performance and district accomplishment.  E.g.:
“Goals-based” – a new superintendent reads, "Develop a plan to decentralize the organizational structure in order to be more responsive to the needs of principals, schools and the public." 
“Activities-based approach" - focuses on what the new leader will do, but does little to focus the leader on why they are doing it.

20. Step 8: (Re) Assess the Program
Succession planning is a fluid and continual process, subject to regular assessment and adjustment. 
Evaluation should signify bench strength by measuring the number of well-qualified internal candidates for each key position, the record of promotions, and the retention of high performers. 
Evaluation should also capture more subjective human capital metrics, including the perceptions of fairness, transparency, morale, confidence, and competence.
Ultimately, a successful succession planning program will be a tailored, systematic, and clear process that enjoys dedicated organizational support and that emphasizes long-term leadership development.
Best practice is to do a “Succession Planning” immediately after performance evaluations and then conduct a follow-up session to gauge progress against actions generated

21. Circle of Leadership Make Commitment to Leadership Continuity
Evaluate & Reward
Assess the Present
Identify & Develop Individual Talent
Assess the Future Needs
Leadership should be a continuous process for every organization that commits to a succession plan. Leadership continuity is a process that requires six major steps. To ensure that your commitment to leadership quality, follow this “Circle of Leadership” process.
Assess the Present
Assess the Future Needs
Establish a Succession Planning Program
Identify & Develop Individual Talent
Evaluate and Reward
Make a Commitment to Leadership Continuity
Establish a Succession Planning Program

22. Succession Planning is a Process
The purpose and need for succession planning
Timeframe and commitment involved
Resources available
Vision and mission
How it will support the strategic plan of the association
Succession planning is not an event, but rather an ongoing process. Individuals involved in the process need to understand:
The purpose and need for succession planning – keeping the organization viable into the future
The timeframe and commitment involved – layout a timeline for people
The resources available – talk about support of past leaders at all levels of the association, along with the web community, the forum, and all of the other resources on the IAAP website.
The vision, mission, strategic plan and basic processes specific to the association
How the succession plan will support the strategic plan of the organization 22

23. Pitfalls to Avoid Lack of leadership Lack of communication
Lack of transparency
Lack of understanding
Making assumptions about future growth
Lack of follow up
Not institutionalized
Pitfalls to Avoid:
Lack of leadership support – if the officers don’t support the program, it will most likely fail, no matter how well thought out.
Lack of communication with individuals you are grooming – just because you think someone is a possible future leader, he/she don’t always know it or want it. We can’t assume that everyone in the organization wants to move up. Some members have seen the level of responsibilities their leaders have to deal with and are content to stay where they are. Communication with potential leaders should include regular reviews to ensure they are still interested in moving to the next level.
Lack of understanding – many times the members of an organization perceive succession planning as creating a ceiling over them, not allowing them to move upward unless they are one of the chosen few. However, a focus on an Individual Development Plan (IDP)—which I’ll talk about in a few minutes—can help this understanding – reinforce succession planning as a development opportunity for the individual instead of a ceiling.
Assuming that success in one’s position will guarantee success at a higher position may not always be correct – the competencies required for success at each level are different. A person who is an excellent treasurer may not be ready to be president – yet.
So let’s talk about mentoring. 23

24. Mentoring – a Cousin of SP
What is it?
Structured, trusting relationship
What do mentors do?
Provide individuals with
Support
Counsel
Friendship
Reinforcement
Constructive Example
Are good listeners who want to help individuals develop
Mentoring is a structured and trusting relationship that brings those people who want to improve themselves together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support, and encouragement aimed at developing the competence of the mentee.
Mentoring is a tool that organizations can use to nurture and grow their people. It can be an informal practice or a formal program.
A mentor is someone who provides an individual with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement, and constructive examples. Mentors are good listeners and want to help others bring out strengths that are already there. A mentor is not a parent, therapist, parole officer, or cool peer.
A mentor’s main purpose is to help an individual define goals and find ways to achieve them. Since every individual is different, the mentor’s job is to encourage the development of a flexible relationship that responds to both the mentor’s and mentee’s needs. 24

25. Thank you!

26. Ranjit Nair
C (512) s: