Leadership Transition Workshop

1. Leadership Transition Workshop To allow student leaders to reflect on their experience , provide them with meaningful closure, and to assist them in the often daunting task of transitioning leadership

2. Focus and goals of this workshop and template To provide both structure and moral support as you recruit and train the next leader at your site To create continuity across individuals to build capacity and maximize efficiency within the organization Give student leaders an opportunity to impact the organization’s legacy and pass along their own visions for success To remind ourselves that different organizations are at different stages in their development and address leadership transition planning accordingly

3. Agenda Introductions Warm-up Introduction to transitional leadership and leadership transitions Visioning Exercise Creating the binder: expectations, deadlines, follow-up

4. Warm-up I met with my predecessor and was able to ask questions of them prior to taking over their leadership position. I was provided with all the contact information for organization members and other affiliates prior to my transition into my current leadership position. I was introduced to key members of the faculty, administration, and community prior to my transition into my current leadership position. I feel I was well prepared for my transition into my current leadership position.

5. What is a leadership transition? A leadership transition refers to the process by which one leader in an organization is replaced by another, along with the breadth of knowledge and information necessary to be successful in that position. Different skill sets go along with different phases in an organization’s life (visioning vs. start-up, building infrastructure); different skills for different times of leadership; liminal space between outgoing leaders

6. Four major steps in leadership transition Selection of the incoming leader Identification and organization of all the information a new leader may need about the organization and their position Transmission of this necessary information to the incoming leader in a concise, clear form, while being mindful of confidentiality issues Replacement of the outgoing leader with the incoming leader

7. Visioning Exercise My top 3 toughest challenges as a leader, and how I met these challenges… My 3 best practices as a leader in this organization… The 3 most important documents relating to this work… The names and positions of 3 key campus contacts, and how they can be helpful… The best methods for recruiting volunteers… Three key annual/semester activities in this org and my role in making each happen… Three key communications channels or contacts… Three key community contacts… If I had the past year to do over again, I would do these things differently…

8. Transition Template

9. [Organization Name] What is the Mission, and what are the Vision and Values of your site? Website Provide a brief bio and description of your service

10. People • Staff & Volunteers (include email address, cell phone, direct line, better to call or text…) • Campus contacts • Other organizations • Administrative • Community Liaisons • Funders • Media

11. Documentation and Methodology Strategic goals Recruitment materials and methods Training materials Advertisements and press Grants and other funding sources Miscellaneous forms

12. Key Initiatives and Activities Annual fundraisers Donor relations Volunteer recruitment Event planning Tutoring Infrastructure building

13. Personal Notes and Observations In what ways was your leadership supported? What were your key challenges in this role? How did you rise to these challenges? What skills did you build?

14. Personal reflection and legacy (for external audience) Brief bio What drew you to serve with this organization? The rest is up to you. Customize the template to meet your organizational needs.