Succession Planning in Christian Organisations

In December 2009 Christian Management Australia circulated a summary of critical leadership and management issues facing Christian ministries and organisations across Australia, as reported by 40 CEOs and senior leaders.

As I read the findings I was startled at how frequently throughout the survey challenges with succession planning, developing leaders, creating organisational & cultural alignment, attracting talented staff, fostering community, enhancing communication and managing multiple priorities repeated themselves.

 

The need for systemic change.

Let me begin by saying that organisational and leadership challenges are not an accident, they exist because they were caused and solutions need to be found. Today our organisations are complex living systems and deficiencies in one area inevitably impact other areas of the organisation. For example, poor communication impacts goal setting, morale, goal achievement, team effectiveness, cultural alignment and the retention of staff.

Likewise choosing to work on one area will see performance and engagement gains across the whole organisation. This article provides some helpful advice on how to address the challenges highlighted by those survey results. I trust that as you read this content you will be encouraged and challenged to take action.  

How do I address sucession planning in my organisation?

In order for Christian ministries and organisations to attract and retain funding, stakeholders and key talent they need to be able to articulate their purpose (why they exist), their values (what they stand for) and vision (where they are headed). These elements should excite the giver, staff member and potential recruit. Clarity of purpose, vision and values provides a clear sense of direction and fosters commitment to the organisation. Organisations that fail to consistently devote time and effort to creating and sharing their vision will always face succession, funding and staff engagement challenges.

Will working on the organisation’s purpose, vision and values be enough to address these challenges?

It is an essential first step but only the first step in a journey. The next step is agreeing the strategic themes and ojectives for your organisation. Without this step your organisation will continually face the challenge of trying to evaluate and manage multiple competing priorities on the hop.

Determining your organisation's strategy needs to be an inclusive process where leaders from the various teams across the organisation work together to determine strategic priorities, key initiatives and appropriate measures. This process not only increases enagagement and ownership but clarifies what is important for all involved.

Using a wide range of communication opportunities to share these priorities and regularly update staff on progress is a key requirement to fostering organisational alignment and a shared sense of purpose.

 

How effective performance management practices can assist your organisation

Performance management is about aligning each individual’s performance with the strategic objectives of the organisation. Without it there is a danger that strategic objetives will not be achieved. Today online performance management systems assist in cascading objectives through the organisation. Online systems increase staff ownership and participation in the performance planning and reviewing process. This leads to increased openness and communication and transparent dialogue about what is important to the staff member and the organisation in the period under review.

Effective performance management practices not only focus on driving alignment and clarity. They also focus on providing feedback on behaviours. They link to the organisation’s values, core capabilities and leadership behaviours. Organisations with strong cultural alignment provide 360 degree feedback (multi-rater feedback) to their people on these important behaviours. They hold people accountable for living the values of the organisation. They integrate these behaviours into their core people processes namely recruitment & selection, on-boarding, learning & development, reward & recognition and promotion decisions.

Five questions you need to consider prior to embarking on any Leadership Development initiative.

The organisation’s strategic framework (purpose, vision and values) and performance management system play a larger role than many realise in determining the effectiveness of all developmental initiatives. All too often organisations address leadership development in a vacuum, treating it as an insular or tick the box activity. However for leadership development to be effective in design, impact and investment, the following questions need to be asked early in the piece.

  1. What is the vision of the organisation? What leadership skills and attributes will be required now and in the future to assist the organisation achieve its vision?
  2. What are the current leadership strengths in the organisation? How can we use these strengths and role models to develop future leaders?
  3. What are the current leadership gaps in the organisation?
  4. What are the new leadership skills we need to be developing?
  5. Who are the next generation of leaders in the organisation that need development?

Investing in your organisation's strategy and performance management practices will support you in answering these questions. They will ensure that your leadership development initiatives build the right skills and behaviours in the right people in your organisation.

If you are committed to the heath and sustainability of your organisation, then you will be motivated to address these strategic challenges. Why not start right here, right now. It's time for action.


Author: Tania Hannath
Tania is Director of People Axis an organisation dedicated to support Christian, Not-For-Profit and Commercial organisations in building high performing and engaging cultures.