Public Sector Governance

Board Succession Planning Services

Succession planning is an ongoing part of organizational development and sustainability in nonprofit organizations. Effective planning requires a strong partnership between the current leader of the organization and the board of directors. In the case of nonprofit organizations, the board of directors plays an integral role in two ways: ensuring that the organization establishes a comprehensive leadership continuity plan for the staff, the President/Executive Director of the organization, and establishing leadership continuity for the Chair/President of the Board. Both scenarios, when done well, are an indicator of a healthy 501(c) organization, something funders look for before investing money in the organization.

The community will often heavily associate the organization to the leader and if the leader is removed, voluntarily or involuntarily, the impact of that action can be profound on the mission of the organization. For this reason, board and trustee leaders must develop a pool of groomed individuals who can be promoted to key leadership positions at the staff and board level when needed.

Some succession planning challenges

1. The board has not defined the competencies and characteristics it believes are required for the continuity of leadership for the organization or the board. The board should develop a profile of the skills and characteristics for both leadership roles – the professional staff and for the chair/president of the board. The activity of compiling a list of personal and professional attributes should be done with the involvement of both the organization leader, i.e. President/Executive Director and the board of directors or trustees.
2. The board does not know whether the leader should come from within the organization or come from the community-at-large to best serve those who use their products and services. Often the boards are not prepared for the departure of individuals from key leadership roles and feel compelled to fill the position as quickly as possible. To ward off the impulsiveness of simply filling a job or position, the board should have a comprehensive evaluation of each of the talent within the organization and also any candidates from the community who would represent the organization well.
3. The board does not have a plan for leadership development for the staff of the organization or the board of directors or trustees. The board should develop a comprehensive leadership development plan for a successor. These plans should include clear criteria established by the board in the key areas necessary for an individual to best serve the mission of the organization. For the staff position these areas could include: administration, budget planning, staff management, fund raising, and event planning to name a few. For a board leadership position the areas could include: fundraising, relationship management, financial management, performance review, and public relations.

XCEO partners with boards in their efforts to develop an effective succession plan for a smooth transition whether the position being filled is staff related or board related.

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