Succession Planning - Capturing and Transferring Information

Dear Nonprofit Board Members,

How many of you have a job description for your current CEO that outlines her* responsibilities beyond the basics? Do you have a document that includes her day-to-day activities as well as her priorities? Do you know what she does, who she sees, where she goes, how she manages her duties and what progress she is making? And what will you be looking for if she suddenly leaves and doesn’t return any time soon, or maybe never?

Another way to think about it: if you had to hire a new CEO tomorrow, what would she need and want to know? And how and where will she get this information?

Typically, an Interim or new CEO has to do this due diligence herself. This takes a lot of time and effort, especially if the person is new to the organization and possibly new to the sector and/or the community. Time and effort that preclude her from the more pressing issues that warrant her immediate attention.

Think about how your organization could be better prepared to help an Interim or new CEO get acclimated. Starting now, you could:

• Consolidate all critical information in one location for easy access (see our CEO Checklist at claritytransitions.net).

• Develop a thorough job description of the current CEO’s roles and responsibilities.

• Compile a comprehensive calendar of key dates.

• Develop a strategic and thoughtful plan for introductions to key stakeholders with information about who they are and what their relationships are to the organization.

Keep in mind, if transition doesn’t appear to be imminent, the information gathered will be less in depth with updates every year or so. If the CEO is leaving soon, then it needs to be as comprehensive as possible.

The fundamental goal is to be prepared for the potential or planned departure of your CEO, and to get the new person up to speed quickly. This means the Interim or new CEO will be able to then focus on and start addressing critical issues faster and more effectively. That will help calm fears, boost confidence and build momentum for a successful new administration. Outcomes that are definitely worth planning for.

* Female pronouns are used for simplicity sake.