Change is inevitable in the workforce and the workplace. From technologically-savvy youth transitioning into their first position or senior-level officials steadily moving onto more lucrative opportunities, companies must manage professionals’ career paths at all levels.
An often overlooked precautionary action is the implementation of transition and succession plans.
Despite the importance of planning for leadership change, studies show that 50% of organizations don’t prioritize succession planning.
To guide you through this process, we’ve compiled the following tips on creating an efficient leadership transition plan checklist.
Leadership Transition Plan Checklist: Ways to Prepare for Change With Success
1. Assess the Supporting Players Before Bringing in New Leadership
At times, change can be something that makes your employees uneasy. Additionally, it is shown that your new leader may feel anxious about the loss of their previous support group as they move into a new role.
To address this, an employer should involve a new leader’s team with ways they can support this transition process.
2. Communicate Transition Logistics
The actions that build up to a leadership transition can be as important as the transition itself.
The key to a smooth transition is clear communication. Communication should be clear, concise, and to all affected parties, including the current leadership, incoming leadership, and your employees.
Naturally, employees may inquire about the details of a leadership transition and how it will impact them. Be sure to prepare what you will share with employees in advance.
This preparation can allow you to create an in-depth and well-communicated source of information about the upcoming change.
3. Develop a Comprehensive Onboarding Program Plan
Another critical element to a successful leadership transition plan checklist is preparing an onboarding program.
What does your new leadership need to know to adjust to their role?
According to the Harvard Business Review, standard onboarding processes aren’t as explanatory as they should be to successfully onboard new leaders.
Your onboarding program should be a hands-on and involved process that makes your new executive feel like a part of the team.
Provide them with enough information to onboard and familiarize them with the new team.
4. Set Expectations Past 90 Days
The 90-day standard is the length of time that a new executive has to make a substantial impact on the company, whether that be increasing business leads or implementing new programs.
This tight deadline can be quite daunting for many executives. Some executives have shared that the realistic time it took for them to make an impact was approximately six months—well past the 90-day mark.
So, how can you set timely expectations without rushing the results?
Understanding a realistic timeline for your desired goals is your first step. While the 90-day limit may work with some very short term projects, it may not work well for long-term goals.
Additionally, you can use this timeline to help better prepare you when undertaking other parts of your transition plan.
5. Don’t be Afraid to Utilize Consultative Advice
Planning a leadership transition on your own is a big undertaking. Thankfully, this isn’t something you have to do alone.
From reaching out to internal resources to partnering with an expert in the field, you can gain new perspectives to maximize your transition success.
A great partner to consider include executive search firms like Recruiterie.
Recruiterie’s team possesses a wealth of knowledge when it comes to building successful teams.
This dedication to creating long-lasting professional relationships is why Recruiterie offers clients a custom-tailored process.
By doing so, Recruiterie’s team takes the necessary time to understand your business and the leadership role that needs to be filled.
In the end, you can rest assured that the unique needs of your role and the transition it will require are being prioritized.
Are you looking for an expert in the field to aid your leadership transition?
Contact the team at Recruiterie, and not only will you find impressive talent, but you’ll gain the team’s unique industry perspective throughout your process.