14 Apr Developing Successors

I have observed that most organizations, both Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)s and corporates, last one generation and then things seem to go haywire. With the retirement of the founder or predecessor, they either lose steam and dawdle along, not creating any significant impact on their area of vision, or they just fall apart. In some cases, they go totally astray, directing their values and purpose into different channels. On the other hand, there are a few organizations that seem to grow to greater heights with the departure of the founder or predecessor. What is the reason for the difference that causes these organizations to grow?

In the case of a small business, the founder or predecessor does not have any training but grows the business because of one’s creativity and hard work. With the money they earn they put their children through a good education, maybe an MBA, or finance course. When the children return and work with their parent in building the organization, they learn a lot about the business. When they take over after the departure of their parent, they grow the organization to a higher level. How can we replicate this in NGOs or in businesses or even departments within large corporates?

Selecting knowledgeable and experienced Individuals
When leading a team, committee or an organization, a mistake often made, is to consider experience as more valuable than basic knowledge. While that may be true occasionally, as a general rule that is not true. Today, we are living in a highly complex world and developments that will impact your work are occurring daily. Technology is changing rapidly. To maintain the momentum, we need to find the best individual to take over from us. Knowledge and practical experience in the field of work are both required.

That means when I am selecting someone from within the organization, I need to look for people who are more talented and capable than me, and who have experience in the organization, so that they can take the organization to further heights. I cannot just depend on their length of service to the organization as an adequate qualification to lead the organization. It rarely is.

If the organization has been running well, and growing, then my successor needs to be bigger than me, in experience, in emotional stability, in knowledge – essentially in all ways, as the organization has grown. If I am looking for a successor from within the ranks, which in my opinion is the best policy, I need to then hire people to work with me or below me, who are far better than me in all aspects of management and leadership. Why? Because he or she will be running a larger and more complex organization than I had run. But most people are reluctant to hire people who are better than them, as they fear that they will not be able to ‘control’ them! Hence, most organizations, especially Christian NGOs last one generation and then go into a kind of sleep mode, where they exist, but do not create history.

The problem with competent people is that they are thinkers, and study issues. So, they will come up with a lot of questions, suggestions and will want to implement radical changes in how things are done. Hence team leaders do not want them around. But that is a mistake. We need to learn to manage them for the sake of the future. A ‘Yes man’ rarely makes a good leader or successor.

The other issue is, should I select just one outstanding man, and groom him or her for the position, or should I select several of them? While many would advocate selecting one, (as too many cooks spoil the broth), I advocate taking many. In fact try and make all your team members people who have the ability to replace you. It may make your management role more difficult, but will make your department creators of history.

There are two distinct categories of people who seem to exist in the world. Some are visionaries and others are executives who are very effective in carrying out instructions. Team leaders love the latter and seem to have problems with the former. Ideally a team should have a mix of both, though I still push for having a team with all who are visionaries, though it can make management of the team complex. Having brought together a team of visionaries, how do I manage or develop them for the future?

Develop Vision-oriented and Value-based People and High Achievers
The role of the founder or predecessor has usually been to be the visionary, who has a desire to see something happen. To implement this vision, a strategy is developed and based on the strategy an action plan is produced. Based on the action plan, goals are set in different areas. These goals, though essential, become the bane of most organizations. Because staff/teams are evaluated on the accomplishment of goals, they become the prime mover of the organization, and the vision is forgotten. I have found this in all organizations. They can narrate what they do – the goals, but not why they do what they do – the vision. The successor needs to be a visionary, who is vision-driven and not goals-driven. One of the essential steps in developing a successor is to see that he or she is vision-driven. There needs to be frequent discussions on the vision for the entire team so that all develop leadership traits.

Along with the clarification on the vision we need to also discuss and be clear on the adopted strategy to fulfil the vision and the reasons for choosing the same. While the vision may not change or may change slowly as needs change, the strategy can be changed and is not rigid. I usually have an annual review of the vision and strategy where all the team members and some others are invited to be a part of the review. The vision needs to layout not only the needs being addressed and what we want to see happen, but also the values that are important to us and express what we are. These values also need to be regularly addressed and discussed with the team, and its observance enforced. Values are not meant to be changed and are fairly rigid, so that those who do not agree with the values usually leave quietly.

To develop strong leaders our leadership style should not be autocratic, but rather achieved through dialogue. All are taken into confidence and decisions arrived after discussing with all. This way the process of decision making becomes a training for the future. They understand the reasoning behind the decisions.

The Bible teaches servant leadership, which basically means the attitude of the leader is to serve their customers and their team members. He or she serves the team members by exposing them to a variety of training that is helpful for their progress. They are also given experience in all aspects of the work by moving them to different responsibilities within the team or department.

A mistake made often is to make people into specialists by keeping them in the same role, since they are performing brilliantly there. But, as we rise in the ranks, and as we hand over the organisation, I need a generalist and not a specialist. So, I need to prepare generalists by moving them to different roles within the organization. Many are uncomfortable to move to new roles, but they must be encouraged to attempt it. If they are reluctant, I usually see them as specialists who would be good second line leaders but not the head of the organization.

The future
Since your successor is a visionary, they will take the team/committee/organization in the direction of their understanding of the vision and its application. They must not be hindered from doing so. Some organizations see the board as the custodian of the vision, so that it is not his or her own vision the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is the leader of the Management teams is fulfilling, but that of someone else. In effect this means a goals and activity driven organization and not an organization with a vision. Or worse, the Board becomes the CEO, and the CEO becomes a Chief Operating Officer (COO), who oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the organization. This will lead to a decline of the organization as a Board cannot lead an organization effectively.

So, the conclusion is, select quality people, invest in them and build them up, and then hand over to them when you are ready to move on.