Map Your Succession Plan

Your job as a leader is to work your way out of a job.

What?!

Logically this doesn’t make sense, but it will soon. 

Imagine a finish line.

Once you cross the line, now what?

That’s the same question you need to be asking yourself as a leader.

• You leave for another job. Now what?

• You’re promoted. Now what?

• You retire. Now what?

Who replaces you?

The thought may elicit negative feelings, but its reality.

Start thinking about how you want things left after you leave.

This will cause you to be more intentional, strategic and mindful about what you do in the present.

You may be thinking, “I’ll deal with that when the time comes or I don’t hold a current leadership role.”

But that’s where you can be deceived.

You see, what you do now will impact the future.

And when it comes to leadership, people tend to learn from your example.

When it comes to a succession plan, start with the end in mind.

• If you’re like me, I realize my life travels in seasons.

• It’s always been easy for me to move on from roles.

But if you have a hard time with change, here’s some advice.

Your job as a leader is to raise up someone better than you.

That’s not comparing, but rather wanting more for your successor.

Once you get outside of your ego, developing others is at the core of leadership itself.

Most of the time leaders stop themselves from raising up other leaders because they want the attention, recognition, praise, etc.

Remember, serving yourself is not leadership its self-serving.

Leadership development is much more than a replacement theory.

It’s multiplying your impact over time.

It is said in business, if the company is dependent on you what happens if you die?

I know. Extreme case, but a clear picture.

So much of leadership works by shifting your mindset.

In this case, the focus is off the leader and on the successor.

I get this may be uncomfortable to think about if you’re younger or see yourself in a role for a while.

Yet using the analogy of an investment strategy - you need to plan for the future.

• The most successful transitions in authority don’t happen by accident.

• Careful and thoughtful design are in mind.

Great leaders get excited about what’s to come and part of that is who you will pass the baton to.

So if you’re “not there” yet I challenge you to carve out some time to identify your successor and start pouring into their life.

How you lead them will directly influence how they lead others.

God Bless,

Scott 

P.S. Here is a concept worth teaching your successor below!👇