Putting your Succession Plan into Action

1. Putting your Succession Plan into Action Amy Hurd, Ph.D., CPRP- Illinois State University Chris Nunes, Ph.D., CPRP- The Woodlands, Texas

2. Before we start……… • Do you have a plan? • What does/does not your plan address? • Is your department implementing its plan? • What are some weaknesses of the plan?

3. Session Objectives • Describe the need for and the tools to implement a succession plan • Identify competencies needed for parks and recreation professionals • Discuss ideas for employee development to implement in their own agencies

4. Session Overview Overview Succession Planning Competencies Based Management Organizational Status Programs That Work

5. Background Information • Why Isn’t Succession Planning More Common? • Time consuming • Important, but not urgent • No immediate results • Resistance from managers and directors (threatened) • Political instability • Mentality that employees are short-term

6. Background Information • Why Succession Planning SHOULD be a Common Practice • Leaders/potential leaders want to work for quality organizations • Limited talent pool • Provides an opportunity to identify potential leaders and groom them for advancement • Helps the organization prepare for the future

7. Succession Plans Long-term: 12-36 months Focus on future leadership Develops leaders capable of filling multiple assignments Replacement Plans Short term: 0-12 months Focus on immediate needs Develops back-up staff for key positions Background Information

8. The Situation… • CEO/Upper Management • controls too much information • is faced with health, family issues that diverts considerable time from agency • sees lucrative $$ package from another agency & leaves • retires….

9. The Situation… • 82.8 million boomers • 1946-1964 • 2008, 78 million ready for retirement • Doesn’t account for death, illness, major life changes • 60% of companies don’t know what they will do about this

10. The Situation

11. The Situation • Why people leave? • 53% seek better compensation and benefits. • 35% cited dissatisfaction with potential career development. • 32% said they were ready for a new experience.

12. Succession Planning Identifying and preparing suitable employees through training and mentoring to assume key positions within the organization.

13. Succession Planning • Why Plan? • Identify expected vacancies • Prevent knowledge drain • Preparation for new leadership • Identify workforce development needs • Ready to fill vacated positions without wasting resources

14. Succession Planning • Outcomes • Improved retention and employee satisfaction • Enhanced commitment of exceptional employees • Stronger organization/long term sustainability • Organization can efficiently and effectively function during a search • Assures continuity & a strong organization for a new employee

15. Succession Planning Steps • Step 1- Understand Development needs • Step 2- Identify Potential Successors • Step 3- Develop and Train Successors • Step 4- Promote and Compensate

16. Step 1- Understand Development Needs • Map out competencies of organizations • Assess competency gap based on mission, vision and values of organization

17. Step 1- Understand Development Needs • Competencies • Skills - abilities required to perform the position • Knowledge – information required for the position • Characteristics –attitudes, personality factors or mental traits needed

18. The individual’s competencies The job’s demands The organizational environment Model for Effective Performance Step 1- Understand Development Needs Effective specific actions or behaviors BALANCE Boyatzis (1982)

19. Step 1- Understand Development Needs • Understanding Competencies Will Provide For? • Efficiency & Effectiveness • Clarifying effective performance requirements • Align skills with strategic direction • Help organization become “lean & mean” • Hire right people • Predict success of employee

20. Step 1- Understand Development Needs • Job skills - hard skills • Develop & stay within a budget • Establish priorities • Develop goals & objectives • Characteristics - soft skills • Be a self starter • Have patience • Ability to be creative & innovative

21. Step 1- Understand Development Needs Characteristics CEO Assess the competency gap Job Skills Entry Level

22. Step 1- Understand Development Needs • Common Competencies • Communication skills • Customer service • Leadership & management principles • Creativity & innovation • Multi-tasking & time management • Flexible, adaptable, innovative, creative • Solve problems & make decisions • Networking • Comprehensive knowledge of the field 25 common competencies

23. Step 1- Understand Development Needs

24. Step 1- Understand Development Needs • Have a success profile for every position in the organization • What competencies are critical for each position? • Must be related to vision, mission and goals • Select 2-3 people per position to develop • Focus on all levels within organizations • Laborers through CEO

25. Step 2- Identify Potential Successors • What type of people are we looking for? • Do I have the right people already in the organization? • Are these people in the “right seats”? • Are these people committed to the mission? • Revert back to the success profile. • Nurture inside-outsiders Focus beyond just high performers!!!!

26. Step 2- Identify Potential Successors • Successor Trails • Soft and Hard Skills • Task-and results-oriented • Possesses people skills; accepts people as they are and knows how to build relationships • Possesses high self-esteem and personal confidence • Knows how to check ego at the door

27. Step 2- Identify Potential Successors • Successor Trails • Can make mistakes, admit them, correct them, and learn from them • Clear set of values practiced daily • Exhibits maturity—not age, but behavior • At ease with superiors and subordinates

28. Advantages Provides rewards and incentives for great employees Cost effective Morale-boosting Disadvantages Organizational inbreeding Possible infighting or jockeying for position Heavy load on training and development Step 2- Identify Potential Successors Internal vs External Candidates????? Martinez-Purson, 2006

29. Step 3- Develop & Train Successors • Systematic effort to develop and train the next generation of leaders. • Able to modify existing tools to “grow your own” • Expand exposure of employees beyond the division • Start early in an employees career

30. Train for skills not already in the agency?? Creating an organizational learning culture Step 3- Develop & Train Successors

31. Step 3- Develop & Train Successors • Tools of the Trade • Performance Appraisals • Professional Development Plan • Conference Plan • Mentoring • Professional Development • Benchmarking skills • Assessing the competency gap • Complacency • Hiring criteria & employee selection • Board vs. the CEO • Job descriptions

32. Step 3-Develop & Train Successors • Simple Methods • Lead by Example • Provide them time • Ask questions to staff to develop them • Provide timely and honest feedback • Hire tough • Never lower standards just to fill a position!

33. How to retain exceptional employee’s Competitive salaries Competitive vacation and holidays Tuition reimbursement Enable a balance of work & life Phased in retirements Flexible work schedules Step 4- Promote & Compensate

34. Retaining exceptional employee’s Provide feedback Recognize success Provide opportunities to be creative, express initiative and make a difference Reputation breeds retention Provide the tools needed to do the job Prepare them for advancement Provide information & knowledge Mentoring Step 4- Promote & Compensate

35. Programs that Work

36. Programs that Work

37. Programs that Work Gulf Coast Leadership Development Institute

38. Programs that Work • Gulf Coast Leadership Development Institute • Program Vision • To create a series of professionals in the state of Texas that assists the parks and recreation field in further becoming an essential service. • Program Mission • To provide young and emerging professionals the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to grow and develop to embrace future challenges and leadership positions.

39. Programs that Work • Key Elements • High quality speakers/education • Low price-$125 • All inclusive (food, lodging and sessions) • Local • Intensive experience • Small size • Retreat like atmosphere

40. Programs That Work • Mentoring/Coaching • An important part of succession planning • Builds long-term, organizational loyalty • Customized “on the job” development • Inexpensive – primarily “soft costs” • Flexible: formal or informal, same or different organizations • A good mentor-protégé relationship can be beneficial throughout a career

41. Programs that Work • Performance Reviews • 360 review • Honesty • Professional Goal Setting • Ability to identity weakness, strengths, abilities, etc • Outcome can be a professional development plan

42. Programs that Work • Lunch and Learn • Able to build knowledge and common understanding within an organization • Offered to all employees • Leadership Topics • Leadership, Communication, Decision Making • Job Interview Skills • Resume, Interview, Cover Letter

43. Programs that Work • Model staff development by developing yourself! • Get out of your comfort zone • Read 10 minutes a day • Listen to people • Set specific goals for yourself and your team • Stay positive • Give back—your legacy is what you leave with others (Standiford, 2004)

44. Thank You!!!!