Your successor awaits!
"The future belongs to those who prepare for it." Jim Moran
I was in New Jersey this week delivering some leadership lessons to a large group of hungry leaders seeking to invest in their people. The CEO, who kicked off the event and gave a great opening presentation which highlighted those critical things employees are looking for - where are we headed, what's the strategy, our priorities, and what is the path to success? He did all of this on a foundation of vision, values, culture and priorities. In his pitch he described the guidance he received from his boss on day one - "achieve excellence and plan for your successor." Well put. In the Army I was given similar advice to 'build the team, build excellence, plan for transition.' Commanders in the Army were only in position for about two years. Succession was part of the plan. I believe the same holds true for business.
Are you ready to hand the baton to another leader? Could someone replace you with relative ease tomorrow? If the answer is no, you and your organization are probably not where you and they need to be. Being ready for succession means many things. It means your organization can run without you. It means that your organization has systems and processes in place so that anyone can arrive tomorrow, learn them, and take off running. It means that you have built a strong team - engaged and dedicated to the mission and cause of the organization.
Leaders do not typically consider their replacement, especially in the early days of their tenure, but it is a worthy and healthy assessment - are you ready to be replaced by another who can build upon your success and take the organization to new heights?
Try this exercise. Start with these questions: "Could I hand this off tomorrow?" "If I did, what messes am I handing off?" "What things/people/systems must be in place for another leader to assume the mantle?" Once you have answered these, go to work because the answer, moreover, the solutions are what your organization needs today. There is no perfect transition. Indeed, leadership is personal and the new leader will want to put his or her stamp on the organization. The path to get there - to achieve excellence, ought to be sketched out in advance.
Who is next? Are you ready? What are you handing them?
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell