Identify – “Recognize” or “Discover”
Lean organizations are thirsty for new leaders by the nature of continuous improvement and team dynamics. The constant thrust to improve the process and change the standard work for the better forces the organization to discover new talent as well as recognize when current leadership needs to evolve.
Comprehensive succession planning in a lean organization is a key component of sustaining competitive advantage through identifying raw talent, nurturing that resource, and aggressively filling roles within the dynamic lean organization. Even small organizations, perhaps especially small business need solid succession planning. The small business has less room for error and waste in the identification and nurturing process.
Good succession planning evolves from the performance management system where fact based assessments are made of current contributions as well as an extrapolation of future development potential. These two performance factors are unique and both must be built into the model. An individual may be a consistent performer with excellent results, but possess the desire or abilities to grow in leadership. Conversely an inconsistent performer could exhibit the potential for leadership advancement by knowledge and flashes of brilliance.
What are the components of a lean succession plan?
• Key leadership positions within the business are identified by not only the title, but enhanced by the key success characteristics for the role.
• Incumbents are identified for the characteristics possessed as well as their gaps. Development plans are made to fill those gaps.
• Successors are identified within the organization and their gaps of the key success characteristics are identified. Development plans are made to fill those gaps and opportunities are planned to evaluate their potential.
• Successors are segmented by timing categories, such as READY NOW; 1 to 2 YEARS; 3 to 5 YEARS, to develop long term strategies.
• High Potential associates are identified, with the observed potential of developing through more than one level up in the organization.
• Succession plans in lean organization, do not have to be about pyramid upward mobility. In flat matrix based organizations, lateral positions should be considered for the development process based on the success factors.
• Senior management and ownership leadership needs to embrace succession planning as an essential process for sustained competitive advantage in lean organizations.
Good succession planning:
Eliminate wasted energy on misplaced development and confusion by introducing key success factors into the management development process.
Provide a rigorous identification process to compliment performance evaluation and development processes within an organization.
Motivate senior management to develop incumbents with gaps in critical success factors; associates who need training or experience to take future leadership roles; identify and groom high potential individuals.
Develop the raw leadership material based on fact based success criteria in a standard work regimen. Fill the current and future needs of the continually changing organization.
Envision a flexible and evolving organization that constantly upgrades the leadership talent in a systematic and cost effective manner.
My final thought: Leadership is the life blood of the lean organization. Identify talent systematically and nurture the human value.
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Diversity helps to make an effective deployment of talent . It is probed that organizations that take account of the diversity of their staffing are seeing an increase in productivity and involvement along with a reduction in absence and undesirable loss of personnel.
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