THROW OUT STALE SUCCESSION PLANNING: GET A FRESH APPROACH

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1 THROW OUT STALE SUCCESSION PLANNING: GET A FRESH APPROACH Roots of succession planning The rotten spots A fresh approach Planting new seeds 1

2 Once Upon a Time... Lessons Learned Accountability Simple clear structure; smart thinking and conversations; Experience is driver; ample feedback fuels it Action 2

3 Roots of succession planning Conventional Machine-Age succession processes rooted in the Industrial Age endure but don t work in modern organizations 3

4 Trade in 20 th Century Industrial Age succession planning for a 21 st Century Modern Age talent development planning process The rotten spots 4

5 Why can t he work 70 hours a week? I m sorry if it takes you so long to get your work done! Millenials don t see work and careers in a succession sort of way Conventional approaches to succession hide some of highest potential talent inside a box 5

6 Succession Planning Over-engineered succession planning neither simple, nor science based confuses, confounds and consumes too much time. There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does. And what worries me... is that too many organizations are making their decisions, their policies about talent and people, based on assumptions that are outdated, unexamined and rooted more in folklore than in science. ~ Daniel Pink 6

7 Images not reality ADMIRING FRIEND: My, that s a beautiful baby. MOTHERS: Oh, that s nothing you should see his photo. 7

8 Foundations rot away Mahler, Executive Continuity, 1973 Top management ACTION Rich descriptive information on leaders Accelerated development through experience Feedback and coaching Company wide approach to selection Target education related to business issues Measurement of results and continuous improvement Of more than 300 developmental strategies only 80 move potential in a meaningful way. The three clusters that matter most: 1. Structuring challenges within job experiences that unlock learning. 2. Leveraging relationships developmental bosses; networking with peers to support learning. 3. Ensuring credible organizational commitment real development plans; senior management commitment. CLC (Bersin by Deloitte), Realizing the Full Potential of Rising Talent

9 Too many tools overdone or not integrated Nine Boxes on shaky science ground 5. High professional 2. High professional plus 1. Consistent star Long term performance 8. Solid professional 9. Lower performer 6. Utility player 3. Future star 7. Inconsistent performer (future utility player) Potential/learning agility 4. Diamond in the rough 9

10 Feedback? A fresh approach 10

11 Experiment with narrative over numbers 1. Nine box 2. Competency profile 3. Narrative Framing Steve Jobs potential 1. His nine-box Read the description of Steve Jobs circa 1985 Based on this information, and impressions you have of him at that time, fill out the nine-box on the handout) 11

12 Framing Steve Jobs potential 2. His competency profile Read the list of leadership competencies. Then rate Steve based on the information supplied and your impressions. Based on this information (nine-box and competency profile)what action would you have taken if you were the board of Apple at that time? Framing Steve Jobs potential: think again Listen to the story of Steve Jobs on his return to Apple e. Take notes Without resorting to competencies, discuss the updated story of Steve using the following questions to guide the narrative: What natural talents did Steve bring to CEO role earl in tenure? What leadership behaviors did he use too little, just right and too much? What did he improve in time and how did he do it? At end of his tenure what mix of talents did he use to lead Apple and what flat sides did he still possess? Was he a successful leader or not? 12

13 Numbers, and checklists versus narratives Based on a narrative approach, continuously updated, versus the conventional (early predictions of potential and competency profiles as key descriptors) and nine box comparisons, what are the pluses sizing up leaders with ongoing updated narratives? What assumptions stand in the way of taking this approach? Planting new seeds 13

14 1. Change language to change thinking 2. Bring life to talent discussions: narrative over numbers; science based simple tools; move to action 3. Fuel process with learning from experience 4. Build skills of managers: feedback and coaching Ideas for planting new seeds Change language Call it managing accelerated development not succession planning. Talk about developing longer term critical talent to include key nonmanagerial roles as well as key leader capabilities for the future for managers and leaders at all levels. Talk narratives (reality) not just the images of numbers and competency checklists. Call for experience plans not development plans. 14

15 Ideas for planting new seeds Bring new life to talent discussions Share well developed narratives unique stories that are well told. Share and make sense of stories before trying to compare people on dimensions make sure dimensions are based on science Use assessments as backdrop and material for the story not the whole story. Take action realistic short term bets, not long term potential bets, and take time to follow up on how bets turned out. Ideas for planting new seeds Make experience the centerpiece of development Choose experience over training as main driver of development. Shape experience and answer key questions: what is the experience, what results will happen and what specifically is to be learned. Choose training that is experiential not concept driven and be sure there is natural demand person highly motivated to use it to get important results. Have both experiences and training be challenging a stretch designed to move people out of comfort zones. 15

16 Ideas for planting new seeds Hold managers accountable for development and require mastery of skills to do it well Make successfully using feedback and coaching mandatory for managers. Measure success and hold managers accountable for results. Only promote managers good at developing others from experience. After supporting and training managers already in roles, if they cannot/will not develop others move them out of management. Get ready to plant some seeds for fresh ingredients for a new age 1. Look over the assessment that suggests ideas for change in four areas. 2. Pick one or two that would improve the quality of developing talent for the future that is a stretch but within reach. 3. Discuss your choices with your small group. 16

17 Close the know-do gap. Do something, even if small, that shifts from industrial age succession planning to a modern, fresh ingredients approach to developing talent Jeannie Coyle jeannie@worktelligence.com

18 Resources True science A Predictive Analytics Primer Tom Davenport, HBR Blog Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner, 2009 Changing patterns of careers Reid Hoffman: How to Manage Talent in the Networked Age Cut through some myths Marc Effron, Your Potential Model is Wrong Or at Least not Right 18