Organizations invest a lot of time and money in identifying and developing potential future leaders and then in ultimately selecting candidates from their leadership pipelines to fill open leadership roles. Effectively developing and placing individuals into leadership roles through high potential and succession planning programs is important, but too often we act as if placement is where this journey ends. This is a mistake.
Organizations, researchers, and advisors need to pay equal attention to the actual onboarding of individuals into new leadership roles.
To find out more about this aspect of leadership, I connected with organization and leadership advisor Jane Walton. Via email, Jane answered questions about the challenges that organizations face in transitioning leaders into new roles and offered advice for how to set leaders up for successful transition.
Elissa: How common is it for organizations to have issues with leadership transitions?
Jane: I haven’t found one that hasn’t had issues—all of differing degrees.
Elissa: What are the biggest mistakes that organizations make during the leadership transition process?
Jane: They make the leadership change decision and then move on to other things. They don’t have a comprehensive transition plan in place. This leaves the new leader, leader peers, and organization teams with lots of questions and few answers. Who has the ultimate authority during this transition? Who do they go to for direction and answers? Who reviews their work, distributes assignments, provides feedback and counsel, etc.? I would also add that the overlap time between when the new leader is announced and when the transition is complete is often way too long. I would recommend a transition period of no longer then 4-5 weeks. Two weeks is ideal.
Elissa: What can leaders (predecessors) do to ensure a smooth and successful transition?
Jane: Transitions are never about just two people—think through all of the people who will be impacted by this change. Create a transition plan that anticipates the questions people have around timeline, authority, responsibilities, and process. Think through the questions a client may have—peers may have—and the team/department. Leaving people in limbo causes undue confusion and stress.
Elissa: What can successors do to ensure a smooth and successful transition?
Jane: Don’t be afraid to address your questions—you will have many during this transition. Because of the power dynamics, successors often sit back and stew when things aren’t clear. Help develop the transition plan.
Elissa: How can HR better support leadership transitions?
Jane: HR understands the dynamics that are in play. Which leaders will probably embrace the transition process, and which will probably resist it. Each company should have a transition process outline; this includes an action plan, timeline, and questions that must be answered during a leadership transition. If a system is in place, then it makes the process easier for everyone. I am also a big fan of a new leader assimilation process for the team.
Elissa: How do you think COVID-19 related changes/disruptions are affecting leadership transitions?
Jane: People are in a heightened stress mode right now. Physiologically this stress impacts things like analytical thinking, problem solving, and working memory. Negative thinking and behaviors are harder to manage and can flair up easily in times of uncertainty and stress.
Elissa: What, if anything, might organizations need to do differently to effectively navigate leadership transitions in the era of COVID-19?
Jane: Make communication your number one priority. Make sure people are in the know and understand the transition timeline and process.
Register to hear Jane Walton speak on APQC’s Thursday, October 27 Webinar: Attention Firm Leaders: Your Successors Are Thinking of Leaving. Do You Know Why?
You will learn the 3 critical areas to focus on in order to effectively lead, manage, and develop your next level of leaders.