Sent to you by levs_aguelo via Google Reader:
This week's question for Ask the Coach:
The successor I've chosen for my position is great! There are just a few things that aren't going to fly at my organization. How do I set my successor up for success?
In most cases, I believe that hiring an executive coach to assist with this process can be very useful. However, you as the leader need to be responsible for the entire process. You know what it takes to be the next leader of your company (or division, or unit, or team) even more than the very best behavioral coach.
I'll share a few ideas with you here about the coaching process. Review them, do what works for you, and if you think it will help, hire an outside coach to do the rest.
Assuming that your successor has some work to do to improve her stakeholder relationships, that she is motivated to change, and that she will be given a fair chance to do so, let's get started. (If these three things are not in place, reconsider your choice of successor!)
First, your incoming leader needs to know that her behavior will matter a lot to the people she is leading. They will be listening to her, watching her, and they will care deeply what she does. Her best chance of success is to learn how to act like a leader before she gets the job, not after.
To help her learn the role of the leader, involve key stakeholders to determine the strengths and challenges she faces. There are a few reasons to do this:
- She will need the support of these key stakeholders if the "succession" is going to be a success.
- Your perceptions may completely miss the important input of stakeholders who may be better positioned to point out things that are not in your area of expertise.
- Your successor will learn much more if she gets input from you and her key stakeholders. Learning from multiple sources is often far more effective than learning from one person.
- Stakeholders who help your successor become psychologically involved in her success and thus are more likely to want to see her succeed.
- Being open-minded.
- Focusing on the future, not the past.
- Being helpful and supportive, not critical or judgmental.
- Telling the truth!
- Picking a behavior of their own to improve.
My personal approach to this type of developmental coaching involves asking each stakeholder three simple questions:
- What are this person's existing strengths that will help her be a great leader in the future?
- What are this person's challenges that may need to be overcome if she wants to lead?
- If you were her coach, what specific suggestions would you give her -- either strategic or tactical -- that, if she followed them, would help her become a great leader?
Now that feedback has been gathered, it is time to figure out what your succession candidate needs to change, wants to change, and is willing to change, and then it is time to begin the coaching process.
Readers, this post is adapted from my new book, Succession: Are You Ready? Please send in your comments about preparing your successor.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Marshall Goldsmith using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
No comments:
Post a Comment