Six things I believe:

ONE. Succession planning/capacity building (call it what you will) is the second most important job of any leader. Defining the organization’s purpose and path—in a way that other people can understand and support—is job #1.

TWO. Capacity building is a never-ending, org-wide undertaking, involving: a) attracting top talent b) matching the right role with the right person at the right time and c) effecting (or at least aiming for) graceful transitions as new information becomes available. Examples of new information:

  • evidence of individual growth—new capabilities and talents;
  • the revealing of relevant limitations that can’t be addressed;
  • changing needs and preferences—the individual’s or the organization’s.

THREE. The right time for leaders to pass the baton is a) long before they feel ready b) slightly before the next generation feels ready and c) WAY before there are broad calls for a change.

FOUR. Will it feel risky? Sure but no more so—and I would argue WAY less than—running an organization that depends on any one person to endure.

FIVE. For many leaders, will there be a deep (almost paralyzing) sense of loss? Yes, if you believe in your organization’s purpose and love your team, stepping aside will hurt like a MF.

SIX. Should you do it anyway? Yes! Why? Because you believe in your organization’s purpose and love your team. Also, while there are some things at which you will continue to excel, and ways you can continue to contribute, you’ll come to see a hard but wonderful truth: your successors are now much better at various mission-critical things than you are. Peak performance can’t be sustained forever, for anyone.

Whether you are a leader or an IC (individual contributor) where do you come out on the topic of succession? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks,
Kate

*What is my Exec Comms work? With Katelyn and Tony now leading the charge at Steyer, I’ve been freed up to work 1:1 with individual clients on their personal branding. So far this work has included LinkedIn “glow-ups,” resume and interview advice, negotiations prep, career counseling, and (for people looking to raise their profile via a sustained publishing effort) content strategy and production support. If you’d like to discuss your goals and needs, write to me at kwalton@steyer.net and I’ll set up a free 30-minute consultation.

One more P.S.:
Remote work can feel extra lonely in an unsettled world. Please consider connecting with us at any of these virtual meetups:

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