A previous article presented an insight on the importance of demographics – a vital consideration of succession planning when it comes to training and identifying needs and opportunities for your members.
But...What would you do in your club if a key member resigned or fell ill? Would you be prepared?
Succession planning is not an issue that many clubs address until maybe their assemblies and such may be reflected in many clubs not even having a plan evident on My Rotary and/or Rotary Club Central.
Clubs and members need to think about succession planning to meet incorporation obligations, Rotary commitment and most importantly to provide services and meet short, medium and long-term club goals. What would happen in you club, if a key member were not available?
Have newer members been trusted and mentored with the skills and experience required? Clubs need to ensure they have a formal plan to manage the changes that result from a generational transfer of leadership, as well as, the ongoing changes that occur when key members are not available.
Effective succession planning demonstrates good planning, management and leadership through supporting organisational stability and sustainability, by ensuring there is an established process to meet staffing and leadership requirements with minimal disruption to the organisation.
Clubs need to focus not only on their executive positions, but also, on the key players in a club – from the ticket seller to the BBQ specialist to the event planner. Key positions can be defined as those that are crucial to the operations of an organisation and, because of skill, seniority and/or experience, are hard to replace. The most important added benefits are that there is not only a transfer and decentralization of knowledge, but, that more members feel valued.
A succession plan should involve nurturing and developing members with the skills (expertise, training, certification, etc.), knowledge (revised job descriptions), qualities, experience, and the desire – grooming them to move up to fill specific, key positions.
Clubs and Districts should therefore:
- Assess their current and future needs based on either their strategic plan, goals and objectives, or priority programs and projects
- Learn of the skills, ambitions or potential of members through offering development opportunity
- Match these needs to the capabilities of the existing membership
- Develop a plan to manage the gaps that will arise when individuals in key positions leave or advance
- The plan will generally include a combination of training and developing existing members, and recruitment identification and strategies.
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– Article by ARC PDG Brian Coffey
– Article by ARC PDG Brian Coffey