01 - Preparing for Emergencies
Operational Continuity
Having an emergency succession policy in place gives your team clarity in the event the unexpected happens.
Planning
Succession
Succession is the stewardship of continuity, not a HIRING EVENT.
The Real Problem
Search and succession are not the same thing.
A search process identifies a successor. Succession planning prepares the people and the organization. When teams equate succession with search, important questions go unaddressed.
- Board members worry about the questions they may not be thinking about.
- The transitioning leader wrestles with what their next season will look like.
- Staff quietly wonder how the transition will affect them personally and the team.
- Volunteers want to know if the programs they care about will change.
- Major donors want confidence that their investment will continue to be stewarded well.
People across the organization carry questions that deserve attention. Succession planning creates space to address these concerns in ways a search process cannot.
Schedule a ConversationSUCCESSION IS THE STEWARDSHIP OF CONTINUITY
Too many leaders equate search & succession.
In doing so, they establish one aspect of continuity but miss the other five.
01 - Preparing for Emergencies
02 - Care for the Departing Leader
02 - Care for the Departing Leader
Personal Continuity
Caring well for the departing leader and their spouse gives them room to prepare for what comes next.
03 - Preparing the Organization
03 - Preparing the Organization
Organizational Continuity
Building an honest picture of the organization prepares the people and protects the successor.
04 - Managing the Transition Process
04 - Managing the Transition Process
Process Continuity
Establishing the pathway forward and clear milestones keeps the transition moving with intention.
05 - Searching for the Next Leader
05 - Searching for the Next Leader
Leadership Continuity
Clarifying your culture and organizational needs equips the search team to evaluate candidates well.
06 - Communicating with Clarity
06 - Communicating with Clarity
Relational Continuity
Clear communication in all aspects of succession builds trust and continued investment in the mission.
Which of these six needs your attention right now?
IF IT WOULD HELP TO THINK THAT THROUGH WITH SOMEONE, SCHEDULE A CONVERSATION.
SCHEDULE A CONVERSATIONHere's How It Works
This is how we work with teams.
Schedule a Conversation
The first step is a conversation to understand where and how Sherpa can help. We listen before we act.
Build a Succession Plan
We guide your team in building a plan to address the transition issues that need attention, in the right sequence.
Lead With Confidence
Your team implements a healthy and effective succession plan with clarity, dignity, and confidence.
For decades, one metaphor has shaped how leaders think about succession: the relay race.
This resource explains why that image falls short, and what stewarding continuity in a season of succession requires.
Where Else Sherpa Works
