Group Development Month: Succession Planning
Par Family Councils Ontario
So far in Group Development Month, we've discussed teamwork, the stages of group development and tools to build an effective, high performance team. To end this month's series of posts, FCO's BSW (Bachelor of Social Work, Ryerson University) placement student Olivia Saric will discuss Family Council Succession Planning.
A few weeks ago I attended my first Family Council meeting. While very nervous, I was pleasantly surprised by the shared commitment displayed by members of the Family Council. I observed a resolve to continue a tradition of leadership, service to family members, and solidarity. This manifested in the Family Council members' desire to prepare for their future. The theme of the meeting was “Succession Planning." Admittedly, while preparing for this meeting I knew very little about the proposed topic. My impression was that succession planning was a term exclusively used by those in business. I envisioned it as a frantic process employed when influential executives retired or were scandalously fired from their positions. Succession planning is in fact far removed from this dramatic portrayal. After much research I found that succession planning although used most often in the world of business is quite simply a plan of action. It equips groups of people, working together to prepare for a future which presently may not be very clear. Succecssion planning, in fact, is very relevant to Family Councils.
If we break down succession planning and look at its nitty gritty parts we can see that it is really made up of four components. First, it is essential to recognize the needs of your group. Second, a plan to address those needs must be developed. Third, the proposed plan must be put into action. Finally, the plan must be monitored for potential success and failure. If the plan is unsuccessful, which is a real possibility when working in groups, it is imperative that you try again. Succession planning might not be an overly exciting part of your group development process, especially when we recognize that planning for succession is accompanied by change. This change may signify the end of a pre-existing dynamic within your group or it can signify a loss. Often this loss comes in the form of a important person stepping down from, or permanently leaving the group. While change is not easy to embrace and endings are often a difficult process to undergo, your group must face the challenge and prepare for the future. It is important for all Family Councils to consider their future and plan for succession.
Replacement identification is a key component of succession planning. After all, the only way a to implement a succession plan is to identify the individual(s) to fill the empty or soon to be empty position. In this way, your group is actively recognizing, planning for, and addressing the need. Replacement identification requires that your group identify the position needing to be filled, define its role, identify the necessary skills, match those skills to a potential successor, and finally select a successor. For some, this process may be uncomplicated and for others may prove to be more difficult. The time and ease of this task will inevitably vary by group. Planning for succession and replacement identification well in advance of the need to replace a key member or leader will greatly improve your odds of success. Like any other Council activity, thoughful and deliberate plannng is key.
Understanding the power of unity is an immeasurable strength. It is everyone's responsibility to work collectively to redistribute roles, encourage leadership, and work to ensure the healthy continuation of the group. Family Councils have functioned for well over two decades. They carry a strong presence within the realm of Long-Term Care and have seen much success. This proud history has been made possible through dedication, planning, and growth. Succession planning is an essential part of this history and success because it prepares Family Councils and focuses our attention on the possibilities of the future.
- Olivia Saric
FCO is currently developing a new Family Council education and training series, including a module on Succession Planning! Stay tuned for more details.
We hope you have enjoyed our Group Development Month series. We'll be blogging on a different topic next week!