What’s Next? Succession and Sustainability Planning Cat Fribley Resource Sharing Project Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Not if…But when Leadership transitions are inevitable. Organizations can develop cultures that normalize discussions of change to better prepare.

Why plan?  ease next person’s learning curve  ensure continuity  ensure ease of departure  avoid significant losses  share information across staff  consistency/transparency of goal-setting

What is Succession Planning? Three different approaches:  Strategic Leader Development  Emergency Succession  Departure-Defined Succession

The bigger picture:  Succession planning also is the process an organization goes through to determine its future and how it will pursue its goals while acknowledging that the personalities in leadership will change.  Succession planning leads to sustainability; organizations create systems and processes to solidify operations.

You win! You and your staff bought a set of lottery tickets and you just found out you’ve won! You need to leave your jobs immediately to collect your prize and leave for your trip to Tahiti. You have a day to clean up the office and leave a note behind for the staff who succeed you. Spend 5-10 minutes jotting down your note, then share it with people around you (2-3). What are the most critical things you need to tell the next generation of leadership at staff at your center?

Different Approaches  Advance: Thorough approach, includes multiple stakeholders and is intended to prepare for growth during transition.  Prepared Emergency  Triage: Focuses on critical information, preparations intended to help avoid crisis.

Short-term Plans  Document job-specific processes.  Identify and share key contacts.  Focus on financial and contractual processes.  Individual approach.

In crisis? Focus on the fires  Supervision  Finances  Contracts  Controls  Keys

Make planning a part of how you do business

Advance Planning  Involves all levels of the organization;  Focuses on the ongoing growth of the organization;  Includes strategic planning;  Prepares org for a search.

Organization Levels  Executive  Programs  Significant leadership

Organizational Elements  Priorities  Policies  Practices  Procedures

Construction & Cohesion 15

Our Web 16 Priorities Procedures Policies Practices Programs Board/ Leadership Executives

What to look for  Mission/vision clarity  Strategic Plan  Policies (personnel, fiscal, board)  Job descriptions  Workplans  Cohesive files, contacts, tracking systems, etc.

Organizational Self-Awareness  Where do you want your organization to be in 10 years?  What do you need to get there?  What have you been doing?  How do you do it?  Does everyone involved have information relevant to their role? 18

How to get started  Talk about it  Identify resources  Document processes  Calendars  Contacts  Policies  Identify Gaps

Places to embed planning  Annual evaluation processes  Staff and Board meetings  Policy reviews  Review of job descriptions  Professional development

Other opportunities  Support the board in initiating a planning process  Support staff in their professional development  Talk openly about organizational change

At a minimum  Staff workplans  Staff calendars  Staff contacts  Fiscal redundancies  Leadership development

Who does what? Board and committees: Sets direction & priorities; requests to staff regarding internal controls and documentation; build leadership. Staff: develops redundancies; provides documentation; asks questions; emphasize professional development. Membership: Provide input on direction and priorities.

Board Importance “As the ultimate guardian of the community's investment in the agency, it is the board's duty, regardless of its practices to date, to attend to succession planning -- and long before leadership issues create a crisis for the agency.” 24

Take stock & take heart Think about your organization’s web of sustainability. What action steps can you take in the next week, month, and year that will increase your organization’s ability to support significant staff transitions? Your intentional planning will create organizational sustainability beyond succession! 25

About the people  Planning transitions  Ongoing leadership development  Addresses conflict, barriers and fear 26

For everyone:  Support growing leadership  Share information  Provide input into planning and visioning

“Succession planning creates more nimble and flexible organizations through shared leadership. It also energizes and reassures a board by providing high-level strategy and demonstrating that staff leadership is broadly shared and backed up.” Annie E Casey Foundation Report, Building Leaderful Organizations : Succession Planning for Nonprofits 28

Finding Balance