Succession Planning - Steps To Take To Make People Feel Needed

Hello All,
I would want a healthy discussion on the topic - Succession Planning.
Firstly I would share the objective of starting this discussion. I work for Manpower consulting organization - mid level in UAE and here the composition of a team is different unlike India. It's relatively a medium sized organization and has all the ability to grow the business to a larger level.
In this point, I want to understand more on how do we go ahead by bringing the concept of succession planning in place, because I strongly believe the internal resources has high potential to fill key business leadership positions in the company.
On that note, Please share what are the initial steps to take for me to make people feel needed about this (acceptance factor to execute) and to start identifying & training them.
Many Thanks,
Vidyalakshmi KV

Dear Vidyalakshmi,

You have given details of your requirement. Good. Nevertheless, to give proper reply, we need still more details.

Nature of your business is "Manpower consulting". Does it mean that you are into recruitment or something else as well?

Heading and the first sentence of your post says about "Succession Planning". Whom these staffs will succeed? When they will succeed? What designation they will hold in future? What is their current designation?

The second paragraph of your posts says about your company growing. So does it mean that you wanted to train your mid-level managers to hold higher positions? If yes, then you do not need succession planning per se, but it is grooming leaders internally.

Third paragraph of your post says that "I strongly believe the internal resources has high potential to fill key business leadership positions in the company". These are your perceptions. What about their views? Do they consider themselves capable to hold higher position? Do they have zeal to grow or lead? Have you mapped their present as well as future competencies? If yes, then how did you do that?

Lastly, is this your own initiative or you have buy-in from your management?

I can help you for this. However, will your management be ready to hire consultant from outside? Please check and contact me.

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.

Dear Vidya,

Since you are in the UAE, you are surely aware of the fact that Succession Planning may not be as structured a process as compared to other matured markets that consider such initiatives as a protocol.

1. To identify a succession plan, you need to look at the various grade levels in the Organization. Once you have a clear map of the various grade levels, link them to the individual performance outcomes on a bi-annual basis. It is important to view marginal differences in performance between employees to chalk out the parameters of a succession plan.

2. Once the process is finalized and approved by the business stakeholders, identify the various competencies required to make the next cut. These competencies have to identify the skills, knowledge and behaviour required by the role at the next level. Link these competencies to the annual performance.

3. The most important since it is UAE; you need to have a buy in from your Management on clear guidelines of cases based on VAASTA.

My latest video on Managing talent posted on my website may be able to give you room for more thought. Videos

Regards,

The Training Specialist