One of the wonderful things about working at the American Mathematical Society (AMS) is the passion and loyalty that employees have for the society and the society has for its employees. At the AMS, it is quite the norm to be a fulfilled employee for twenty years, and not uncommon to find those who have thirty, or forty years under their belt. I know we are not alone in having this sort of profile. If this sounds familiar to you, then in this post I attempt to help you think through how to develop a strategy for succession planning, recognizing that in today’s world, people just don’t stay at their jobs as long as they used to.
To consider succession planning is to consider how to keep the engine running, recognizing that your operation is made from many interlinked parts and that we live in a world of rapid and constant change. Succession planning is a key part of strategic planning, but it should also be a continuous operational project – one that should be on the front burner at all times.
One of the first priorities is to create a balance of personal succession, strategic succession rooted in what’s best for the organization and the ability to develop individual progress from within. You have to recognize that when an organization starts talking about strategic planning, and succession planning in particular, staff may react by worrying that their jobs are at risk. Recognize that for staff, any whiff of change can induce fear, low morale, and, perhaps, paralysis so communicate with your staff and involve them in the change process.
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