Written by: Katherine Whitney
Our July newsletter focused on what should be an ongoing succession planning effort to develop the next group of potential leaders for your organization. That is a central part of ensuring smooth transitions in leadership so that, when changes occur, the organization can have a smooth transfer of job responsibilities.
But “what if?” What if someone in a key position leaves without notice either permanently or for an extended period without a successor in place? There can be many reasons for this, and the organization can suffer regardless of the reason. The following are five steps that you should take in advance to help your organization navigate an unexpected transition.
- Develop protocols that allow a backup authorized person access to passwords for critical software, such as payroll, accounting, or project management systems. On the flip side, ensure that your protocols disable access for anyone who has left the organization.
- Ensure that you have up-to-date contact information for important business partners – your lawyer, banker, insurance agent, Board Chair, suppliers, etc. This contact list should be available to an authorized group of people.
- Document important job functions and their timing in case a person who is unfamiliar with the position must step in. These documents should include:
- Job descriptions,
- Detailed steps for the most critical functions (think processing payroll), and
- A 12-month calendar that includes recurring and important currently planned initiatives. Examples include scheduled Board meetings, audits, benefits renewals, or important but not recurring events, such as an upcoming “cannot-be-missed” meeting.
- Ensure that important documents can be located and accessed. These could include leases, bylaws, financial agreements, etc. Consider a cloud-based document storage system with access based on permission levels for authorized people. Of course, ensure regular backups are in place for each computer.
- Create a communications plan for key positions will help during an unplanned transition. Consider:
- The business partners mentioned in the second step above. Your banker, lawyer or any key advisor should be advised promptly about a change in their primary contact.
- Board members in the case of the CEO or someone on the Board.
- Customers and/or donors.
While there may always be more that could have been done, basic planning for unexpected transitions in your critical business functions will help your recovery. These steps are basic and easy to accomplish but are often put off because of busy schedules. When you really need the information, no excuse mitigates the challenges of not having it.
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At Warren Whitney, we help develop plans for a smooth transition to the next generation, whether that’s a family member, a current employee, or someone from outside the organization. We develop succession plans that include: Current Organizational Assessment, Emergency Absence Procedures, Employee Development Plans, Communication Plans. Additionally, we provide search services to help identify candidates who are appropriate for your organization. Let our strategy team get your succession planning on the right path.
If you have any questions or seek further clarification, please contact Kyle Ficker at 804.282.9566 or email him at kficker@warrenwhitney.com. We do not charge for the initial call. We want to learn more about your needs.
MAKING POTENTIAL HAPPEN
Data Directions Inc.