The Imperative of Leadership Succession
What is the difference between MANAGEMENT and LEADERSHIP? That’s a question that often emerges in my training seminars. One way I help students think about this is by describing management as focusing on the status quo—making sure that the CURRENT situation (which includes people, processes, functions, results) is working well. Leadership, in contrast, concerns itself with the FUTURE—not so much predicting it, but rather creating it—and in great measure, doing so by innovating and improving in the present.
One way that leaders create the future, is by anticipating the need for leaders in the future…and taking measures to prepare for that future by taking steps in the present. By the way, strategic planning occurs in the same arena of reality. Management guru Peter Drucker talked about it in the same way. He is famous for saying, “Strategic planning does not deal with future decisions, it deals with the futurity of present decisions.”
To summarize: Leaders make decisions in the present that have consequences for the future, and they take appropriate action to make it so.
The need for leaders in the future can take on many different forms:
- A new CEO to lead the organization
- New executives and managers for added business enterprises
- Additional roles for departments that are expanding to meet demand
- Replacing leaders lost for various reasons—reassignment, retirement, relocation, resignation, termination, health-related (and other personal issues!)
Leadership succession at the top of organizations is a particular challenge—one which, sadly, the majority of organizations do not do well! The statistics are rather dismal—only 54% of public companies are actively developing CEO successors.
Up Close and Personal
One of my clients was a privately-owned company here in the U.S., founded by a creative entrepreneur who grew the organization to the point where he sold it to a French global enterprise. He and his board worked collaboratively with the new ownership, and smartly recommended the COO to step into the CEO position vacated by the founder.
The COO was remarkably prepared for his new role:
- He was particularly savvy when it came to the business of the company
- He was familiar with the founding “culture” of the company and…
- …The changes in culture that globalism would require, for future success
- He also knew the leadership team well, and understood their strengths
- Finally, he was particularly well-liked, and (more important) deeply-respected by staff
It turned out to be a very successful transition for the new company!
Leadership succession happens at every level
HERE’S THE TRUTH: Leaders at every level need to anticipate the need for leadership succession and prepare! They can be faced with the same situations mentioned above, including their desire to promote their people, and help them grow and develop as leaders—and eventually move into higher positions.
Their own survival can depend on it!
Up Close and Personal
One of my executive coaching clients was struggling with the demands of her position. She was reluctant to take badly-needed vacation or even attend off-site meetings and conferences required by her role. She complained, “I have to stay in constant touch with my team whenever I’m not there, just to make sure everything is okay.” It was an irksome pressure she was struggling to address. And it was also a staffing problem she needed to address. Her team members simply lacked the level of skill needed to cover key areas in her absence.
I asked her a straightforward question designed to raise the relevant issue and help her address the challenge, “Do you have anyone on your team who you think has the potential to step into your position, if given the appropriate preparation or support?”
Her answer was telling: “Not really!”
I advised her, “Then that needs to be at the top of your list for your next hire. You need to be looking for someone to add to your team who has that potential.”
It makes life a lot easier for YOU
It’s an obvious plus to have someone on your team who can cover key bases when you’re not there. But it also puts you in a good light with higher-ups when you are seen as the kind of boss who is willing to invest in the development of your people and help them grow into increasing levels of leadership skill and management responsibility. That makes you more valuable to the organization! So…grooming one of your team members for advancement or promotion is good for your professional reputation.
It makes you more attractive as a boss.
Word will travel fast in your organization that you help your people advance! You will have some of the best people knocking on your door, wanting to join your team and work with you! That makes it easier for you to recruit strong performers—they know that working for you will help them move forward in their career.
It makes you more promotable to higher-ups
If YOU want to be promoted, you can grease those wheels by developing your successor! Think about this from your boss’s perspective. If your boss promotes YOU, it automatically creates a problem for your boss—namely, who will replace YOU??? If you take the time to invest in one of your team members—to help them develop the ability to step into your shoes—you will make it a LOT easier for your boss to promote YOU.
Leadership succession in an entire organization is a whole other, much bigger challenge! And according to research, there isn’t a lot of success out there with regard to this important issue. (One survey found that five out of six HR managers are dissatisfied with the results of their leadership development programs!) That will have to be a topic for another post.
So…let’s get back to the issue on a personal level…
What are YOU doing, to prepare for leadership succession challenges on YOUR team?
- Talking with team members about their career goals…
- Pointing them in the direction of appropriate sources for growth and development…
- Supporting their reading, research, course attendance, degree programs…
- Giving them assignments to stretch them in the right direction for growth and development…
- Investing your time and attention to guide, advise, instruct, and develop their potential…
- Helping them advance and promote, even if it means losing them to your team…
- Working with HR to identify candidates for your team who demonstrate leadership potential…
- Taking team members with you when YOU advance!
It’s always in your best interest to be a leader who develops the next generation of leaders. It’s also in the best interest of your organization to support that process and encourage managers and executives who have a knack for building leaders. If you want some help to figure out how to do that well, call us! We have experience working with leaders from an incredible diversity of organizations. We can give you the ideas and the resources you need to become a “leadership engine.”
Until next time… Yours for better leaders and better organizations,
Dr. Jim Dyke – “The Boss Doctor” ™ helping you to BE a better boss and to HAVE a better boss!
