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Succession Planning

(Not Just for Work But for Your Chapter Too)

5 Steps to Plan and Execute Your Chapter’s

Succession Planning Process

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Webcast Facilitators:

Paul Nierman ASTD Chapter Coach – Eastern Area

Wendy Leedy ASTD Chapter Coach – Western Area

Jamie Millard Bay Colonies & NAC advisor

Ken Steiger Central New York & NAC advisor

Charnell Westerman Baton Rouge & NAC advisor

Bob Zimel MidNJ & NAC Advisor

Agenda

• Welcome – Why Are You Here?• “Tale of Two Chapters”• Key Learnings• The Five Steps: Best Practices

Why are you on the call today?

How does Succession Planning

matter to you?

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What’s In It For You?5

• Evaluate future leadership and talent needs• Identify individuals who can satisfy those

needs• Develop bench strength so that the chapter

can thrive over the long term• Better engage volunteers by connecting to

what really interests them• Prepare individuals for their eventual role(s)• Share the load!

A Tale of Two Chapters

Acorn Oak Tree

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived two ASTD Chapters: the Acorn Chapter and the Oak Tree Chapter.

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived two ASTD Chapters: the Acorn Chapter and the Oak Tree Chapter.

The Acorn Chapter and the Oak Tree Chapter had succession plans in place, yet both had different approaches...

Oak Tree Chapter – May board meeting

• On every board agenda• Prioritized succession planning• Created a Succession Planning

committee made of:– Current board members– Current chapter members

– Objectives

Oak Tree Succession Planning Committee Established:

Oak Tree Chapter – May board meeting

– Objectives– Program design

Oak Tree Succession Planning Committee Established:

Oak Tree Chapter – May board meeting

– Objectives– Program design– Candidate requirements

Oak Tree Succession Planning Committee Established:

Oak Tree Chapter – May board meeting

– Objectives– Program design– Candidate requirements– Succession planning

timeline, including:• leadership development• committees• motivational styles• including others in board

meetings

Oak Tree Succession Planning Committee Established:

Oak Tree Chapter – May board meeting

- No board meeting in May or June.

- Got started with succession planning in July.

Acorn Chapter – May board meeting

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• The Oak Tree chapter:– Discussed current leadership

structure– Reviewed the membership– Identified the board positions– Reviewed job descriptions,

and completed minor updating– Defined a leadership profile – Compared the chapter

leadership needs with potential talent

Oak Tree Chapter – June board meeting

- Chapter president asked board members who they knew

- No one had candidates in mind

- President asked them to think about it off-line and be prepared to share at the August board meeting

Acorn Chapter – July board meeting

• The Succession Planning committee:– Reviewed the bylaws– Sought nominees.– Established the interview

guidelines.– Arranged and conducted

interviews– Finalized

recommendations for the next board meeting.

Oak Tree Chapter – June & July activities

The President-Elect, VP of Programs and the VP of Technology each suggested one name of a member who had: – Attended monthly programs and

special interest group meetings– Seemed like a potential leader

Acorn Chapter – August board meeting

• The Succession Planning Committee:– Presented the full slate– Communication plan was

finalized and approved– Elections concluded on

Sept 8th.

Oak Tree Chapter – August board meeting

- The Acorn President asked what progress had been made in pursuing board members for next year.

- There had been no action.

- The board members committed to specific actions immediately after the board meeting.

Acorn Chapter – September board meeting

- Reviewed The “Leadership Onboarding” toolkit from national ASTD

- Registered the newly elected board members to attend the ASTD Leadership Conference (ALC).

- Approved the new board’s transition process.

- Began the transition process before Thanksgiving

- Held an off-site meeting retreat for the new and existing board in December.

Oak Tree Chapter – Up to and during the September board meeting

- The candidates had downloaded the appropriate job descriptions from the web-site.

- All 3 people were willing to joining board.

- Board reviewed the by-laws, prepared the slate for announcement immediately

- Vote planned for next chapter meeting.

Acorn Chapter – October board meeting

• Quickly covered 4th position, and continued with nomination process.

Acorn Chapter – October board meeting

- A formal debrief occurred while the board attended ALC

- The new board was given pre-work prior to the formal executive board retreat scheduled for early December.

Oak Tree Chapter – October/November transition activities

• Current President reviewed the roles and responsibilities with each incoming board member.

• Where possible, the outgoing board members reviewed their processes and procedures with the new board members, and

• Sent electronic files to new board member.

Acorn Chapter – November board meeting

The End! Or, just the beginning!

Story Debrief…

Using the chat window, please share with us …

• What you saw done well by a chapter that could be

useful at your chapter? (start with a “ + ”)and /or

• What you want to be careful not to do?

(start with a “ - ”)

Where do you think your chapter is on this continuum?

5 Steps for Succession

Planning

www.astd.org/toolkits

1. Preparation for Succession Planning

2. Identification of Potential Leaders

3. Implementation of the Succession Plan

4. Managing Transitions

5. Monitoring, Evaluating and Updating

Step 1 – Preparing for Succession Planning

Baton Rouge!

Step 1 Best PracticesPreparing for Succession Planning

• Review Chapter Bylaws• Establish objectives• Establish program design• Succession planning timeline

– Beginning in May

Step 2 – Identifying Potential Leadership

Greater Atlanta!

Step 2 Best Practices Identifying Potential Leadership

• Have all positions up-to-date• Each board member should have an eye

out towards his or her successor, yet …• All leaders need to identify talent for all

roles• Establish a Leadership Academy• Speak often of the leadership

opportunities within the chapter

Step 3 – Implementation of the Succession Plan

Middle Tennessee!

Step 3 Best PracticesImplementation of the Succession Plan

• Establish a formal Succession Planning Committee

• Agree to and follow the process• Execute

Step 4 – Handling Leader Transitions

Fort Lauderdale!

Step 4 Best PracticesHandling Leader Transitions

• Have a plan• Review the existing onboarding

toolkit: www.ASTD.org/toolkit• Have someone on the executive

board own the transition process (example President-Elect)

Step 5 – Monitoring, Evaluating & Updating the Succession Plan

Dallas!

Step 5 Best PracticesMonitoring, Evaluating & Updating

the Succession Plan

• Establish a chapter wide scorecard

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Questions, Comments, Other Ideas

www.astd.org/toolkits

Succession Planning Toolkit

Onboarding Toolkit

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Eastern AreaPaul Niermanpniermann@astd.org 703.683.8182

Western AreaWendy Leedywleedy@astd.org 703.683.8167

National Advisors for Chapters (NAC)www.astd.org/NAC

More ASTD Resources

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Thank you and Good Luck from

BobJamie (aka “Rocky”)Wendy (aka “Birdie”)

KenCharnell

Paul