Tom Lemanski's

Your Bridge to Discovery

Leadership Breakthroughs icon

Successor Development: Whose Job is it?

All too many leaders struggle with proper prioritization of their own management succession. Have you ever had these thoughts about job succession?

“Who has time to think about grooming a successor?  I’ve got work to do!”

If so, you’re not alone.  You’re in good company. Or are you really in bad company? Procrastination with succession is a common, yet costly state-of-mind. What’s behind it?

Job Proficiency:  Be Careful What You Wish For

Feet UpYou’ve been doing your job for a while now.  You’ve experienced a wide assortment of challenges and problems.  And you learned to navigate and solve them.  In some cases you learned by trial and error.  Other times your instincts helped you figure things out. Maybe your boss or mentor supported you.  More than likely you’ve built up your political capital to the point that others will help you make things happen when you need external or cross functional backing.  The result is you’re now highly proficient. Perhaps you’re so proficient that you’re indispensable.   If you were taken out of the mix, the place would fall apart.  They can’t afford to lose you.  You’ve earned a sense of security.  That feels good!  You’re really comfortable with your routine.  Another good feeling.

What Else Have You Earned?

Indispensability has a price.  Unless you’ve developed a successor, you’ve made it difficult for your organization to find a higher, more challenging place for you. Indispensability is a barrier to promotion. Is it possible that you’ve been so busy doing a good job that you’ve neglected one important job function? While this responsibility may be missing from your formal job description, developing your successor is part of your job.  This is true for all levels of the Org Chart.

Time For Successor Development?

If you’ve fallen into the trap of Indispensability and comfortable competency, you can still get started.  If you’re ready, here are some questions for you to ask and answer.  Your answers will keep you “on task”.

What’s the Business Case for Successor Development?

If you were hit by a truck, disabled and suddenly taken out of action, what would that cost your organization in terms of management inefficiencies, financial impact, customer relations (internal and external), lack of growth and innovation? Personally: How much does a stalled promotion effect your finances, family and lifestyle both now and in the future? Any more questions about timing for developing your successor?

Getting Started with Successor Development

Once you’re ready, you have two simply stated tasks:
  1. Find one or more Candidates who could succeed you.
  2. Groom Candidates to prepare them to take on your responsibilities

What’s Your Succession Goal?

Your succession goal should be specific, written to address the two simple steps (above) and have a target date.
  • Who qualifies to learn your job?
  • What are the qualifications?  What knowledge and skills are needed?
  • Since you need to get them ready, what does “ready” really mean?
  • Will you actually delegate responsibilities?  Or simply assign tasks?  >> more >>

Will They Ever be Ready?

If you’re somewhat of a perfectionist who wants to have your successor prepared for every possible problem, consider letting go of that need.  Just as when you were learning your job, sometimes you learned from your mistakes and temporary failures and simply figured things out.  Your successor can too.  But only if you provide an opportunity for experiential learning.

Related