There are just three types of leadership transition planning challenges: 1) strategic leadership development for succession, 2) unexpected or sudden departure, and
3) planned departure. Here are a few strategic ways to think about each.

Strategic leadership development for succession should be part of your plan to build organizational capacity from within. It is often and wisely accomplished through a combination of strategic planning to identify future needs, personal goal-setting to identify human potential, professional development to develop capacity, and mentoring to sustain it.

An unexpected or sudden departure poses immediate risk to trust and goodwill and a plan to successfully manage this potential risk is the focus of a traditional succession plan. Typically this is a short-term remediation, a bridge plan, until a more permanent solution can be found.

The third leadership transition challenge – a planned departure – presents the best case scenario for managing change because it affords lead time to create and implement a successful transition plan. While lead times will vary, the optimum is 18 months prior to the installation of a new chief executive. Structures, processes, and above all communication are critical to successful leadership transitions.

Regardless of the reason that the top leader will no longer be the lead vision-bearer, stakeholders need and expect the same thing: stable leadership in times of change. Invaluable in meeting this expectation are three key elements: a Leadership Transition Team, a written Transition Plan, and strategic communication.

CSP’s Knowledge Center gives your leadership team ways to think about and plan for leadership transitions through our downloadable Leadership Transition Planning Advisory Series.

Here is an example of what you’ll find in CSP’s Leadership Transition Planning Advisory Series:

Shaping a Successful Leadership Transition through Strategic Communication

Traditional Top 10 Communication Messages in Times of Change

This is a list of the top ten messages any organization should be sure to communicate to constituents during times of change:

• Why change?
• What will happen if we don’t change?
• What will it be like to change?
• What will change?
• What will not change?
• Who will lead the change?
• How will we manage the change?
• When will the change occur?
• Re the individual …What will be expected of me? What will happen if I don’t participate in the change? What are my rewards if I do?
• Re the individual…How does the change affect me and my ability to do my job and maintain my relationships?

Communication Messages in Times of Leadership Transitions

This graphic and the table that follows present a model and an approach to using the traditional top ten messages to shape a communications plan during times of leadership transition in organizations. All core messages should be reinforced repetitively and consistently by all organizational leadership. An effort should be made to gain the early support of gatekeepers and other key influencers who may not be part of the official leadership team as ambassadors of the core transition messages.

Impacting a Successful Leadership Transition Using
Strategic Communication

Strategic Influencer	Goal	Strategic Emphases	Tactical Implementation Examples
Board	Set the tone for transition and inspire confidence in institutional direction and continuity	Board engagement Board self- assessment Institutional stability and continuity Strategic direction Balanced celebration of outgoing leadership Organizational strengths and ongoing vitality	These are the circumstances of the transition…This is our transition team…This is our transition plan… Here is how we will find a new leader and this is our timing…After a successful search We are ready and able to support the new leader… We unconditionally support the new leader…We will retain and support what is precious about our institution while being open to new ideas and directions…To donors and other influential supporters -the transition should have no negative impact on unfinished projects…

 

Strategic Influencer	Goal	Strategic Emphases	Tactical Implementation Examples
New Leader	To establish the leader’s brand and the value-added it creates	Core values Vision Goals Expectations Priorities Accessibility	This is who I am…This is what care about…These are my priorities…This is my timeline…These are my expectations…This is where you fit in…These are the ways I will keep you informed…These are the feedback loops I have put in place because I want to hear from you…The tasks of transition will not eclipse person-to-person relationships…

 

Strategic Influencer	Goal	Strategic Emphases	Tactical Implementation Examples
Transition Messages	To inform, neutralize negative opinion, establish relevancy, garner support	Who What When Where Why How	This is what will change and why…This is what will not change…This is how and when change will occur…This is who will lead the change…This is how the change will affect you and your ability to perform your job…These are the benefits of participating in the change and the risks of not…

 

Strategic Influencer	Goal	Strategic Emphases	Tactical Implementation Examples
Vision Messages	To inspire buy-in and participation necessary for a successful transition to new leadership	Shift focus from what and how to results Expected outcomes, benefits, and relevance of a successful transition	This is what a successful leadership transition will look like and mean to our institution…This is what a successful leadership transition will mean to you…This is how you can make a difference in achieving this vision…

LTPADV #1 Leadership Transition Action Plan

LTPADV#2 Leadership Transition Planning

LTPADV #3 Shaping a Successful Leadership Transition through Strategic Communication

LTPADV #4 Leadership Transition Planning