Succession Planning: The Key to Ensuring Leadership: The Key Is That the Process of Leadership Formation Is Not Random and Serendipitous, but Rather Intentional and Well Planned

INTRODUCTION THERE IS A FAMOUS QUOTATION, most often attributed to Lewis Carroll, that says, Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going. This truism serves you well if you are wandering the alleys and canals of Venice or out for a leisurely weekend drive in the country on a summer day. The gelateria you discover near the Rialto Bridge or the open fields of wildflowers you stop to enjoy are unexpected but rewarding surprises. But leadership requires both a clear destination and an explicit road map. Most colleges and universities understand this well in terms of organizational structure and institutional planning. Too often, however, succession planning is handled with far less focus and specificity. This typically results in crisis management when no crisis is necessary or in confusion of leadership when clarity is easily obtained. What follows is a practical description of succession planning: what it is and how an institution can use it to create a clear and precise road map to meet its immediate administrative needs, attain institutional stability, and ensure its leadership future. Succession planning is as important as every one of the many other types of planning used in higher education. COMMON PLANNING PROCESSES The most readily understood and commonly practiced forms of planning in higher education include strategic planning, master planning, fund-raising, contingency/emergency planning, and governance. Whether or not it is fully used and regularly updated (a topic for another article), virtually every college or university has a strategic plan. Strategic plans typically provide the entire campus with a focus for the future. Built upon the institutional mission and core values, a campuswide strategic plan provides both the vision and the strategic outcomes for every aspect of the institution. At my institution, for example, the strategic plan delineates overarching institutional goals and specific strategic initiatives related to mission effectiveness, quality, curriculum and co-curricular programs, institutional identity and external relations, enrollment, fund-raising, and resources. Once the board approves the strategic plan, our senior leadership team develops an operational plan that delineates specific action steps to implement strategies, time lines, budget projections, responsibilities, and assessment measures. This plan serves as the basis for the development of annual performance objectives and the assessment of progress/success. However, while comprehensive, detailed, and dynamic in nature, the institutional strategic plan often provides too little focus on specific areas of planning. Some institutions also develop strategic plans for academics, enrollment, and finances. What makes the most sense is to develop topical strategic plans that flow from and complement the institutional strategic plan. For example, a five-year fiscal plan really only makes sense if it provides a level of detail and strategy based on the campuswide plan and the specific operational plans. Another form of strategic planning results in what is often called the master plan. Master plans describe the future direction and needs of campus facilities (new buildings and renovations), space (classroom, residence, meeting, office, etc.), and/or technology (computers, software, infrastructure, etc.) Once again, master plans need to be consistent with the overall strategic plan. The strategic plan provides the rationale and outlines the priority of campus needs. The physical space and the infrastructure respond to and serve the strategic direction of the institution. Strategic planning in the area of advancement provides the framework and the direction for comprehensive fund-raising. Such plans typically address goals and objectives for long-term development of the annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, alumni relations, corporate and foundation giving, etc. …