Transcript The 10 Step Succession Plan for Chapter Leaders Phyllis Shurn-Hannah, Northeast Region Field Services Director ▪ SHRM ▪ March 31, 2010

The 10 Step Succession Plan for Chapter Leaders
Phyllis Shurn-Hannah, Northeast Region Field Services Director ▪ SHRM ▪ March 31, 2010
“Americans — perhaps exhausted from days in
their do-more-with-less workplaces, working
multiple jobs or afraid to get out in the larger
community, or perhaps simply preferring to
collapse in front of the television — just are not
joining and volunteering as much as they once
did.”
Diane Stafford, Workplace Columnist
Kansas City Star
©SHRM 2008
What is Succession Planning?
Succession Planning is the use of a planned
course of measure to ensure that volunteers
are developed to successfully replace current
volunteer leaders whenever needed to carry
out the mission, vision and goals of the
Chapter.
©SHRM 2008
Expectations of a Volunteer
• Complete understanding
of the position – time
required, required tasks
• To be appreciated
• To feel welcomed
• To know they are helping
to make the world a
better place
• Good training
• Opportunity to do
interesting work
• To be communicated with
• To be socially connected
• To learn something new
©SHRM 2008
Volunteer Life Cycle
Retire
Hire
Admire
Inspire
©SHRM 2008
Critical Questions To Ask The Board
• How would you handle the progression of your strategic
objectives if a key position suddenly became vacant?
• Do you select people to the board based on likeability and
need to fill a slot vs. tactical and long-term planning?
• Do you know TODAY who will replace current leaders when
their terms end?
• Do current volunteers feel they have benefited in a
meaningful way as a result of their service?
©SHRM 2008
Why Have A Succession Plan?
• Identify critical volunteer leader positions in the chapter
• Identify replacements for future vacancies in positions
(due to term end or the unexpected)
• Identify individuals who could potentially fill those
vacancies
• Ensure that the chapter’s current mission and vision will
be carried forward by future leaders
• Ensure that next generation of leaders are prepared for
their roles
• The Plan should be tied to the chapter’s mission and
goals
©SHRM 2008
Outcome of Planning
• Strong leadership that perpetuates growth
• Increased member satisfaction through great services and
meaningful meetings
• Contingency back-up if volunteer leader cannot complete
term
• Volunteer leaders feeling they have personally and
professionally benefited as a result of their volunteer
experience
©SHRM 2008
Step 1
• Establish a strategic plan (vision, mission, goals)
©SHRM 2008
Step 2
Evaluate current volunteer roles: confirm relevancy
©SHRM 2008
Step 3
Establish a “line of succession” for positions
•
Evaluate/update job descriptions/customize for your needs
©SHRM 2008
Step 4
Analyze member roster for potential volunteer leaders
©SHRM 2008
Step 5
Determine the key leaders for whom successors will
be identified
©SHRM 2008
Step 6
Evaluate value proposition for attracting/retaining
volunteers
©SHRM 2008
Step 7
Identify the competencies of current key leaders:
•
•
•
experience and duties required
personality, political savvy, judgment
leadership skills
©SHRM 2008
Step 8
Select the high-potential members who will
participate in succession planning:



Identify gap between what the high-potential members
are able to do presently and what they must do in the
leadership role
Create a development plan for each high-potential
member to prepare him or her for the leadership
position
Perform development activities with each high-potential
member
©SHRM 2008
Step 9
Interview and select a member for the new
leadership position
©SHRM 2008
Step 10
Evaluate it!
Communicate it!
Stick to it!
©SHRM 2008
Steps to Succession Planning
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Establish a strategic plan (vision, mission, goals)
Evaluate current volunteer roles: confirm relevancy
Establish a “line of succession” for positions
>
Evaluate/update job descriptions/customize for
your needs
Analyze member roster for potential volunteer leaders
Determine the key leaders for whom successors will be
identified
Evaluate value proposition for attracting/retaining
volunteers
Identify the competencies of current key leaders
 Identify experience and duties required
 Identify personality, political savvy, judgment
 Identify leadership skills
©SHRM 2008
Steps to Succession Planning
VIII. Select the high-potential members who will participate
in succession planning
 Identify gap between what the high-potential
members are able to do presently and what they
must do in the leadership role
 Create a development plan for each high-potential
member to prepare him or her for the leadership
position
 Perform development activities with each highpotential member
• IV. Interview and select a member for the new leadership
position
• V. Evaluate it! Communicate it! Stick to it!
©SHRM 2008
Tools for Succession Planning
 Your Strategic Plan
 Your Member, Board Rosters
 Successful Practices from other chapters
 Four-Year Succession Plan Grid
 Succession Planning/Career Development
Questionnaire
 Recruitment and Retention Toolkit on the VLRC
©SHRM 2008
Succession Planning Helps Chapters
> “Grow your own" future leaders
> Manage diversity
> Shorten the learning curve for future leaders
> Increase commitment and loyalty to the organization
©SHRM 2008
What to Look For
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Leadership
Initiative
Judgment
Planning & Organizing
Teamwork
Commitment
Political Savvy
©SHRM 2008
Board Roster
Competencies
Position
Incumbent
Leadership
Chapter
Sally Smith Exceptional
President
President- Joe Blow
Strong
Elect
Initiative
Teamwork
Exceptional
Strong
Recommended
Action
State Council
Strong
Strong
President
Treasurer Suzie Que
Needs
Needs
Needs
End Term
Improvement Improvement Improvement
V.P.
Don Ho
Programs
Exceptional
Exceptional
Exceptional
President-Elect
Secretary
Strong
Strong
Strong
Continue in
Position
Jane
Rogers
©SHRM 2008
Succession Grid
Position
Current
2007
2008
2009
Volunteer Projection Projection Projection
President
President-Elect
Treasurer
Secretary
Membership Chair
Programs Chair
Certification Chair
Legislative Chair
Foundation Chair
Diversity Chair
©SHRM 2008
SHRM Annual
Leadership Conference
• One of our purposes for sponsoring the Leadership
Conference is to help facilitate the succession planning
process for our volunteer leaders. Not only does it
provide excellent leadership development opportunities,
but it is an excellent way to facilitate best practice sharing
and to network with fellow volunteer leaders and prepare
for the coming year.
• It goes without saying that you should think strategically
about who attends this conference.
• When your volunteer leaders return from the conference,
ask them to conduct a presentation on key learning points
and how they will apply their new learning. Avoid
encapsulated development at all costs!
©SHRM 2008
Don’t Let Anyone Be Fooled!
©SHRM 2008
Questions/Discussion?
©SHRM 2008