Written by: Karen Fischbach – Pro Leaders Academy Pty Ltd

 

Many articles are written about future proofing your business by the succession planning of the workforce – but what about the leadership talent?  It sometimes appears that there are plenty of crew members, but no one to steer the ship!

Preparing for the future has become a very flexible and innovative task for many companies since the COVID 19 pandemic has forced business organisations to be scalable on a regular basis.  Supporting plans such as organisational structures are less robust and stable, however, this does not mean the organisational goals have to stop.  A clear long-term strategy will indicate the direction and the workforce and leadership needed to reach the desired state.

Three ways organisations can plan leadership succession include:

  1. Identify talented staff within the business and develop them over time;
  2. Implement a retention strategy to keep the talent – retain staff who then have history and first-hand knowledge of organisational development and decisions made;
  3. Scheduled recruitment of key roles in advance (external to the agency) – utilise local networks within the industry, international recruitment strategies, etc..

Organisations who consider staff their most valuable assets are planning ways to identify those with talent, and those who have potential, earlier rather than later.  This strategy is more than just implementing a leadership training program, it is also about giving the workforce the opportunity to advance, providing career paths, and to use expertise and showcase ideas and innovation to the benefit of organisational goals.

We can’t forget the current leaders, who have the potential to be Board Members or hold honorary positions, or consulting or advisory roles in the future.

Leadership capability promotes sustainability, thought leadership, it enforces accountability and helps establish a shared vision from the very top, to the very bottom in an organisation.  This is something worth planning for and ensuring succession of for the future.

“Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example.” – Donald McGannon.

NOTE: The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter, and specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. The content must not be relied upon as legal, technical, financial or other professional advice.