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ATD Blog

Succession Planning Is Key for Business Continuity

Tuesday, March 25, 2014
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In a previous blog, we posed some questions to help readers think about what is “succession planning” when you move on to something else—either inside or outside of your business.  Any thoughts on who would take care of everything in your absence?

Consider the following scenario…

Sam built her department from the ground up after convincing senior management of the importance of having an internal entity to oversee all company projects and implement a standard methodology to complete them. What started as a one-woman operation in which she assessed needs, prepared proposals, and delivered services internally, became a two-person operation when an undergraduate student from a nearby college joined her as an intern in exchange for the experience. 

After Sam proved the worth of her department to the company, it became a five-person team with the support of three employees “borrowed” from other departments.  Ten years later, the department has 45 employees organized in clusters and strong online capabilities that enable the team to support clients anywhere and anytime. Sam has the support of several supervisors, but is thinking about moving on.   

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What happens next will be the result of the choices that Sam makes at this crucial moment. Although succession planning does not need to be scary, we know from experience that everyone’s emotions will be running high.

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As a manager, Sam should always know who would be her successor when she left. If she has waited until now to find out, she is facing a crisis. If the potential successor is ready and interested in the position, Sam will be able to focus on the transition until she departs. 

However, if no one is ready at this time, Sam may have to propose bringing someone from outside of the company.  (And we say “propose” because in a situation like Sam’s, the final decision of who will be her successor is not entirely her own.)

Have you experienced a situation similar to Sam’s? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

About the Author

Wanda Piña-Ramírez is an action-driven, strategic management and executive consultant with a proven track record of contributing to the bottom line in companies spanning from multinational corporations to small businesses located in Puerto Rico, the continental United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Her innovative, energetic, and open-minded consulting style is an asset when dealing with ambiguity and challenging business situations. As the longest-serving member of AON Puerto Rico’s Mejores Patronos (Best Employers) Committee, she has firsthand knowledge of industries as diverse as restaurants, insurance, medical laboratories, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, professional associations, hospitals, banking, pharmacy information systems, general information processing, refrigeration, medical devices, and building materials. Wanda is certified as a coach from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, as a practitioner in neurolinguistic programming and applied kinesiology by the International NLP Trainers Association, as a human resources administrator by the Escuela Avanzada de Administración de Recursos Humanos y Legislación Laboral de Puerto Rico, and as a legal intercessor for cases of domestic violence and aggression in Puerto Rico. She is a frequent guest on radio and television programs, where she brings together the legal and business components of talent development and human resources management, tackling such topics as business metrics, labor law, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. Wanda also contributes her expert opinion on the latest issues affecting today’s workforce to news outlets and other forums such as professional associations, business groups, and nonprofit organizations.

Wanda is a partner in the Human Factor Consulting Group, senior consultant for AON, and subject matter expert, program facilitator, and program translator for SHRM specializing in Latin America. This Certified DDI Facilitator is field editor for ATD Links and co-author with Norma Dávila of Effective Onboarding (ATD Press, 2018), Cutting Through the Noise: The Right Employee Engagement Strategies for You (ASTD Press, 2013) and Passing the Torch: A Guide to the Succession Planning Process (ATD Press, 2015), as well as of articles in TD, T&D, The Public Manager, and multiple blogs. She has presented at ATD’s International Conference & Exposition, SHRM’s Talent Management Conference, SHRM’s Conference Preview Workshops, ATD’s México Summit, and Ellevate, among others.

About the Author

Norma Dávila is a certified career development strategist who guides clients through targeted introspection and self-assessments to identify strengths and interests before embarking on career changes. Her approach to career coaching positions her clients to gain the self-confidence to present themselves as the best candidate during job interviews. Norma, a certified resume writer by PARW/CC, adapts her advice to best suit client professional experience and aspirations. A firm believer in the value of networks, she steers them to optimize every personal or virtual opportunity to connect with others. A natural talent developer, Norma focuses her practice on entry-level and midcareer professionals across the entire employee life cycle, and has supported employees from industries including banking, technology, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, medical devices, dairy products, aerospace manufacturing, retail sales, risk management, automotive sales, energy, waste management, and funeral services. She is recognized for communicating complex ideas in easy-to-understand terms to all audiences and introducing concrete examples to which they can relate. Norma specializes in designing and delivering learning experiences that lay the groundwork to acquire and strengthen competencies and skills on topics such as team development, business writing, customer service, performance management, employee communications, and transition management. She is a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional, and has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University and master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from the University of Chicago.

Norma is a partner in the Human Factor Consulting Group, senior consultant for AON, and subject matter expert, program facilitator, and program translator for SHRM specializing in Latin America. This Certified DDI Facilitator is field editor for ATD Links and co-author with Wanda Piña-Ramírez of Effective Onboarding (ATD Press, 2018), Cutting Through the Noise: The Right Employee Engagement Strategies for You (ASTD Press, 2013) and Passing the Torch: A Guide to the Succession Planning Process (ATD Press, 2015) as well as of articles in TD, T&D, The Public Manager, and multiple blogs. She has presented at ATD’s International Conference & Exposition, SHRM’s Talent Management Conference, SHRM’s Conference Preview Workshops, ATD’s México Summit, and Ellevate, among others.

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