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Recruitment: a fresh approach

Succession Planning

Overview:

Succession planning sounds like hard work! It needn’t be that way. Whatever your role in Scouting, it’s not forever. Your warrant may be up for renewal, you may want a change, or personal circumstances may mean you are no longer available. Often the end of a role will be planned while at other times it may be unexpected. However it comes about, a smooth transition will help Scouting to continue and to grow. Thinking and talking about it can make life easier in the long run.

Top tips:

• Have succession on your meeting agenda. Discussing who is changing roles or moving on is the first step to planning how you will deal with the change.
• Look out for people who might be good in a role next or in years to come.
• Encourage people to express an interest in roles that have become available.
• Whenever you are being reviewed or reviewing someone else always discuss the future of the role and the time it is likely to continue for.

How can you help?

Asking yourself a few questions is a start:

• What would you like to be doing in Scouting in five years time?
• What would you like to do next to help Scouting?
• If you weren’t doing your role who else could do it?
• How can you help find your successor?

Practical things include:

• Telling other people what your role is like
• Sharing the load and letting other people try out your role
• Building in an overlap period so that the person taking over from you can watch you in action before they take the reigns

How can the Group or District help?

AGMs are often the time when officers stand down. For Sections it’s often the end of term or year when leaders plan to leave. Find out who is thinking of standing down and get planning. Try to avoid surprises! The Group or District may choose to have an agreement about ‘giving notice’. Encourage a culture of openness about changing roles and training in preparation for the future.

It’s definitely time to talk when:

• a review of an appointment is coming up
• you know there has been a change in someone’s situation
• you keep hearing through the grapevine someone is unhappy

What can make succession planning difficult?

• A ‘crying wolf’ can make it difficult. People say they might leave a number of times but don’t say when - then off they go. Make sure everyone knows this is unhelpful and although you don’t want people to leave, planning for this eventuality is more helpful to Scouting.
• Looking for the perfect person. Remember you are looking for a successor who is as able and willing as their predecessor when he or she started – not as experienced as they are now! Try to welcome change - everyone is different, so an inexperienced newcomer can bring fresh ideas to a role.