Succession Planning Doesn't Need to Be Drastic: Take a Step-by-Step Approach Instead

In the International Journal of Managerial Studies and Research, James Siambi wrote, “During times of transition, strategic leadership succession planning, in conjunction with leadership development policies, provides an organization with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to retain its best and brightest employees, leaders, and talent.” Washington County, Minnesota is capitalizing on this opportunity by taking a promotion from within approach to leadership transitions. “We can typically find an internal candidate to take open leadership roles,” said Rick Roy, Workforce & Veteran Services Division Manager for the Washington County Community Services Department.

At the County, they are focused on retaining institutional knowledge through employee transitions - a critical component to successful succession planning. “I had one staff member retire last year and she had someone shadow her for six months,” said Rick Roy, Workforce & Veteran Services Division Manager for the Washington County Community Services Department. “When someone announces they are leaving, our team does a great job of putting the plan together. We try to hire from within so people have the opportunity to accept a new position and shadow the person they are replacing, potentially even doing some of their work in a transitional period before they leave.”

Read the full article from the Golden Shovel Agency.