Introduction

Why Focus on Executive Transitions--What's at Stake?

Executive Transition vs. Executive Search, What's the Difference?

What are the Benefits?

What's Involved:

Transition Success Factors

Three Phases of Executive Transitions

Five Developmental Tasks for the Interim Period

Transition Tips:

For Departing Executives

For Boards & Search Committees

For Arriving Executives

Phase I: Getting Ready

   Deciding short-term who’s in charge of what

   Assessing organization priorities and health

   Hiring interim manager, particularly if not ready to hire or in crisis

   Developing profile of new executive attributes, knowledge, skills

   Setting a competitive compensation strategy

   Saying an appropriate good to your departing executive

   Understanding and dealing with departing executive’s legacy

Phase II: Recruiting

   Agreeing on a recruitment strategy, including diversity outreach

   Proactively seeking candidates

   Screening and ranking candidates against profile

   Completing thorough reference checks before final interviews or selection

   Spending informal time with finalists and introducing to key stakeholders

   Selecting and negotiating

   Having a back-up plan if first candidate declines

   Completing letter of appointment

Phase III: Post-Hire

   Welcoming and introducing new executive

   Orienting new executive to organization and community

   Making agreements between board and new executive on three- and six-month work plan

   Agreeing on executive evaluation process

   Executive development planning by new executive with board support

   Agreeing on when to revisit strategic plan and direction of organization

   Rushing to hire

   Making hasty decisions with out assessing needs

   Becoming frozen and indecisive: too much process

   Employing overly rational process that ignores feelings of loss, anger, etc.

   Underestimating time and help required

   Not asking for help when needed

   Denying real condition of organization

   Recruiting too soon

   Misreading needs of the organization; attempting to hire executive exactly like (or opposite) departing executive

   Hiring an inappropriate interim manager, often someone liked and admired on staff or board but not experienced in what’s needed

   Advertising a non-competitive salary, limiting applicant pool

   Expecting a diverse pool with out outreach and networking

   Getting buried in resumes and process with inadequate systems

   Appointing “obvious successor” with insufficient thought or checking

   Doing reference checks too late to influence finalist selection

   Appointing a new executive with board divided on decision

   Not fully disclosing to finalist condition of organization and first year expectations

   Not welcoming or introducing new executive to community

   Succumbing to exhaustion and abandoning new executive during first 30-60 days

   Micromanaging

   Giving insufficient priority to shifting roles and relationship building in first month

   New executive becoming overwhelmed, ignoring board and stakeholder relation ships, staff or administration; having difficulty in balancing all three

   Curtailing surprises for new executive and board

   Paying no attention to work plans or evaluation system