Succession Planning

What do you do when a key member of your team announces they’re making a career move? Are you prepared to fill that position? Can you readily identify the value and contributions that individual provided you and your organization, and do you have a replacement in mind?

The key to sustained competitive advantage in any industry is not size, image, or technology. It’s talent, particularly at the leadership level. Your organization’s future depends on its ability to identify, retain, and prepare a dependable “bench”–its next generation of leaders–continuously.
–Dr. Robert W. Barner

As more and more “baby boomers” retire or change jobs, is your organization prepared to lose their tenured, mature, and knowledgeable workforce?

Leadership talent is one of the most critical needs of any organization and a strategic approach for succession planning is required.

Ask yourself:

  • What challenges is your organization currently facing?
  • What skill-set and experience is needed to address the gaps?
  • Do you prefer positions be filled internally before seeking external candidates?
  • Does having a blend of internal and new hires provide innovative and fresh ideas?
  • Are you utilizing cross training to build bench strength?
  • How often (and to whom) do you delegate assignments and responsibilities to?
  • Could having a coach speed up the development process?

Look outside of your immediate team.

What interactions do you have with other leaders? Can you work jointly to develop a succession planning process?

Do you have shared business strategies, directions, and critical positions?

Are you able to provide names of possible successors for critical positions? (These positions may not need to be filled now, but you will be building your bench strength and be positioned to act quickly should you find the need).

Make sure the candidates understand the vision of the organization they’ll be part of. That includes clearly defined roles, responsibilities, expectations, and what they’ll be measured against.

Would assigning a mentor help clarify the role and facilitate growth? We once had a leader that was targeted for a promotion and shared that he had no interest, whatsoever, in ever having the position that others felt he was strongly suited for!

If it’s an external hire, what kind of on-boarding process do you have in place?

For both internal and external candidates, identify how they will complement the team. Perhaps all the gaps can’t be addressed by one person; what more is needed?

Succession planning and career development require time, but the pay-offs will serve you well.

Are you prepared?

Innovation and Growth – What Can You Do?

In keeping with our innovation and growth theme, we want to talk again about General Motors new CEO, Mary Barra. On Monday, Ms. Barra was featured on Good Morning America and said something that is worthy of sharing.

During the interview she was asked “did you think that you would ever be CEO”? She said while she may have had clear goals and objectives for her career, she never focused on that. Her main objective was to always perform at her best, and deliver the greatest results for each position she held.

She focused on building a team and organization that delivered outstanding results. In order to achieve outstanding results, you must have processes and a clear focus, you can’t be risk adverse, and you must have the willingness to take the necessary steps to create a strong team and promote change.

Many leaders confuse career aspirations with a goal, and lose site of the results they have to deliver now. Ms. Barra said that she found too many leaders focusing on “what is my next job?”, rather than establishing the elements and providing the results that make it obvious that new challenges are welcomed and will be managed.

We are not suggesting that you do not have career aspirations and dreams because that is very important. What we are saying is to not primarily focus on pursuing the next level, as it detracts from being “present,” and may actually derail you from attaining desired results.

Too often we see leaders spending insufficient time building strengths within their team and organization. This development is required for innovation and growth, and ultimately success.

Change the world; rethink outdated assumptions and make a real difference…
–M. Barra

How to Promote Innovation and Growth

Start by building a strong team through these key steps.

  1. Recruiting Process. What skills abilities and talents do you need, and do you have a clear hiring process that links to your vision, mission and goals.
  2. Build trust within team members and encourage engaging interactions. Do team members feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback? Do they address conflict in a healthy honoring respectful manner?
  3. Include accountability, engagement, feedback and fun in team development processes.
  4. Operational Process and tools. Invest in saving time, and improving quality.
  5. Observe your customer and identify ideas for improvement. Ex: delivery, availability, reduce time to market, and enhance the value of your products and services
  6. Create a team focus. Down-play the need for individual gains and reward accordingly.
  7. Link your rewards and performance appraisal system to innovation and growth.  Does everyone’s IDP link to their specific needs to innovate and grow, or just to maintain the status quo?
  8. Training/Development/Coaching. Set up a process linking development to effectiveness for individuals, teams and organizations. Do you proactively invest in yourself and others to be strong leaders, or do you wait until someone tells you what to learn?

We, as leaders, are accountable for influencing others. It is up to us to link the tools, processes and resources with the vision of our organization.

Take some time and review the key components listed above. Are they part of your 2014 plan? Are any changes required?

If your focus includes innovation and growth, you’re positioning yourself for recognition and future promotions – maybe even to the position of CEO, like Mary!

Innovate and Grow

Innovation and growth starts with self discovery, a purpose, and a vision. A real leader of growth and innovation has key objectives they want to reach, and they have a workable plan.

An innovation and growth oriented person gets others involved in their plan because they know it can’t be done alone. They have a growth mindset, and they demonstrate courage and the behaviors necessary to support their plan. For example, they take mindful risks on issues that relate to their vision, and they let no one derail them from realizing their plan.

They also coach and develop others, and let go of their need to be “in control.”

Rate yourself on how well you perform in these areas (5 being the best; 1 not all).

What could you change to improve your score?

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
–Steve Jobs

This week we’d like to feature Dr. Abe Fischler, a definite leader and innovator!

Abraham S. Fischler is currently President Emeritus at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Fischler graduated from Columbia University, served as Assistant Professor of Science Education at Harvard University, and was the Professor of Education at the University of California, Berkeley, before joining Nova Southeastern University (NSU).

At NSU, Dr. Fischler served as Dean of Graduate Studies, was the Director of the Behavioral Sciences Center, and ultimately became President. He has always been a visionary, an innovator and a risk taker, and he strove to enhance traditional methods of learning.

During his tenure as President, he developed and offered the first doctoral distance education program in the country, a precursor to modern online education programs which is a method of instruction now available at many institutions of all levels.

Join us Friday To Hear Dr. Fischler’s Leadership Insights!

What: PeopleTek’s Inaugural Broadcast of Leadership TV

When: January 10, 2014 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (EST)

Why: To provide insights on effective leadership

Who: Mike Kublin and Dr. Abe Fischler

How: UStream Live Broadcast — watch from anywhere in the world!

Licensed QwikCoach have the ability to watch the live broadcast and access premium content.

PeopleTek / QwikCoach guests, click here. You have the ability to watch the live broadcast.

We’re excited about our new venue, and even more excited to feature Dr. Abraham Fischler.

We hope you can join us!

2014 Resolutions?

Have you made any resolutions for 2014?

Some Common Resolutions:

  • Eat healthier
  • Regularly exercise
  • Spend less, save more
  • Keep in touch/increase time with family and friends
  • Live in the moment
  • Get a hobby

What about from the work perspective? Is there anything you want to stop doing, and perhaps other actions you’d like to implement?

Resolution Definition:

  1. the process of resolving something such as a problem or dispute
  2. a firm decision to do something
  3. determination; firmness of mind or purpose

What needs resolving, or, do you feel firmly about changing something?

Answer the following:

  • What’s working well/what isn’t? (For you and your team/organization)
  • Are you lacking any skills?
  • Do any of your behaviors impact others? How?
  • Which of your habits impact your life and career either negatively or positively? If you’re stuck, ask others for feedback. Ask them to:
    • List 3 things you do that they want you to continue doing.
    • List 3 things you do that they prefer you stop doing.
    • List 3 things they’d like you to start doing.

Next, identify and replace non-productive behaviors with those that will help you achieve the results you desire. Think in terms of where you are now and where you’d like to be.

Identify what’s working for you, replace what is not working well, and commit to making positive changes that will position you for success!

Happy 2014!