Ha! You thought I was going to list them all?? Not today, I don’t have time. But I will say they all have one thing in common…discomfort with change, I might even go so far as to say… aversion to change.
I bet this isn’t a surprise at all, but even the most banal truth can be tricky. Whether it’s a tree, a pet, or the most perfect executive director on the planet, no one wants to think about when they are gone.
But the best time to plan for when they are gone is when they are still there and not planning on leaving anytime soon. Why? Well, mostly because then it’s not about them, it’s about what is best for the organization.
What?? You don’t have time to think and plan now? Well, you can wait until they announce they are leaving in a month or get abducted by aliens (my personal euphemism for dying). But not talking about it or planning for it is really setting your beloved nonprofit up for what could be years of pain. Truthfully, even with good succession planning in place, it still could go wrong…don’t get me started on hiring an executive director…how many times and ways can it go wrong…okay I can’t help it…most common reason….you settle instead of digging in and starting over.
Succession plans include the planning for hiring the new person. Don’t ignore reality and don’t be afraid, rather dive in while you can and make the best plan you can. I assure you that all will feel better for it!
Dowling Coaching & Consulting, LLC 