Leadership succession: dilemma or opportunity for the future - @ Issue

There's a significant graying of directors, superintendents, managers and supervisors in the parks and recreation field. In addition to planned retirements, there will be turnover resulting from career changes, illness, death and performance-related issues. When they occur, these transitions create significant changes within the organization and communities they serve. Yet few departments have made any effort to address this certainty of change.

We aren't the only profession to be deficient in this area. A survey by Elliot and Cooke of more than 1,000 CEOs and presidents on the adequacy of succession planning found that formal or informal plans were inadequate, if not nonexistent. Little was being done to identify potential successors or even interim leadership for transitional periods. If a second-in-command was identified, little was being done to prepare this person to take over the leadership of the organization in the future.

Key management areas such as organizational development, financial resource management, marketing, maintenance and facility development are all thoroughly addressed through common management practices. But how many of us have succession plans?

Many departments claim to have a succession plan, but nothing is in writing. Our field's national accreditation criteria doesn't include succession planning in the mix of requirements.

Without exception, each department should have a written succession plan. The plan should cover special situations and emergencies involving management coverage and succession. The preparation of boards and commissions to operate when there's a loss of executive leadership is critical for staff and community confidence in the organization and continuity of effort after the change.

Are you prepared? Key succession planning questions include:

* Are there fully developed back-ups for all key administrative staff?

* Have all key staff been cross-trained?

* What skills and competencies are needed for the future?

* Is there a plan for developing these skills, and are they matched to employee career goals and aspirations?

What kind of succession plan is best? Each organization will have different needs related to its work culture, workloads and capabilities.

One option is to do nothing until the event occurs. I hope that, after reviewing the dangers of having no plan, you'll discard this option.

You can prepare a plan to promote from within. From a transitional point of view, internal promotions are better for the organization if the organization and successor are trained and prepared for the transition. This option is also seen as rewarding hard work and dedication, and sends a signal to other employees that they can succeed in the organization.

You can prepare a plan to go through a selection process with a selection firm or internally. This can include internal candidates and external candidates. An in-house selection process for candidates within and outside the organization requires a dedication of time from staff and board members to ensure a smooth, expeditious process. Steps to follow include:

* Name an interim executive.

* Set a time schedule.

* Prepare a position description.

* Establish minimum requirements.

* Advertise for applicants.

* Screen applicants.

* Prepare interview questions.

* Conduct the interviews and evaluate the candidates.

* Conduct reference, employment and background checks.

* Develop an offer.

There are many excellent head hunters available to assist an organization at various levels in the process, including supplying interim leadership. This, too, will take a commitment of time and money by your organization. Steps to follow in selecting a professional recruitment firm include:

* Request for proposals.

* Proposal reviewing.

* Interviews.

* Reference checks.

* Contract preparation.

Change is going to happen at an increasing rate. Time spent now preparing your organization for smooth transitions at all levels will pay dividends in avoiding disruption in productivity and constituency service, not to mention loss of employee morale, Addressing employee training needs, internally and externally for their career aspirations and organizational needs, makes too much sense not to be a routine part of managing your organization.

@ Issue is your chance to write about a broad, emerging issue in parks and recreation. If you're interested in submitting an opinion piece for this column, write to sdouglas@nrpa.org.

J. Thomas Lovell, Jr., CPRP, is administrator of parks and recreation in Lee's Summit, Mo. He can be reached at Tom.Lovell@lees-summit.mo.us.

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