ew events in the life of an or- F ganization are as critical, as vis- ible, or as stressful as when the leader leaves the organization. The eyes of every employee, customer, partner, and investor are focused on the outgoing executive. How that moment is managed reveals the character and effectiveness of the leader, the organization, and its people. Leaders move into a new position with a strategy for cap- turing the promise and energy of a new begin- ning. To make a lasting difference, however, they must remember that an ending is also a beginrung; it requires just as much thought and planning.

Leadership transition is an integral process for all leaders of an organi- zation. It begins long before (and continues long afier) the outgoing leader departs, and it presents a remarkable opportunity to move forward with a new understand-

ing of the complexities, challenges, and changes the organization must address.

Unfortunately, the landscape of a l l

three sectors-business, govern- ment, and social-is littered with the results of poorly planned and managed leadership transition. Diminished careers, disillusioned

boards of directors, dyshctional manage- ment teams, bewil- dered constituents, and all too frequently cynical public reaction flow from an inept transition.

Having served as CEO of four or- ganizations, as chairman of the search committee of several others, and as a board member of a num- ber of corporations and social sector organizations, I have partic- ipated in many leadership transi- tions. From these experiences I have learned how essential it is for the leader to begin well and to end

well. Effective leaders plan an exit that is as positive and graceful as their entrance was. They come to the job committed to the mission and goals of the organization and to their personal goals, with a sense of where they want the or- ganization to be and where they want to be personally when they leave. When those goals are real- ized, the transition to new leader- ship becomes a primary focus. It becomes, literally, the ultimate leadership responsibility.

Board Partnership (6 Passing the baton” does not de- scribe the dynamics of a successfbl transition. When leaders believe it is the best time for the organiza- tion’s future and for their own, they plan, communicate, and man- age the period of leadership tran- sition. However, they manage the process; they do not select their successor. In partnership with the board, they involve all stakeholders and constituents appropriately. When well planned and well man- aged, the transition becomes a time of high morale and fulfilled expectations.

When I tell people that my year of leadership transition with the Girl Scouts of the USA was the most exuberant year in my career, they are incredulous. But it is true. I an- nounced to the Girl Scouts board

Fall 1997 7

of directors on January 31, 1989, that I would be leaving January 31, 1990, and that together we would build a model of leadership transi- tion. Many board and staff mem- bers could not believe that I would choose to leave at a time when things were going so well for the organization-but that was pre- cisely the right time to leave. The transition process worked beauti- fully, and my last day on the job was as gratifying as my first.

Early in the transition year I bought copies of Thomas North Gilmore’s Making a hadersh ip Change, the best book I know on the subject, for the management team and offi- cers. The senior staff and I spent a one-day facilitated retreat preparing for our roles in the change of lead- ership. We talked about the hture, not the past, and thought about the qualities needed for the manage- ment team in the years ahead. By the end of the day, no one doubted that I was leaving, and everyone was ready for the task ahead.

A Four-Step Process

In my experience, there are four critical phases of leadership tran- sition.

Phase I: Defining a Vision. A search committee appointed by the board of directors, with superior staff support, describes its vision for the

hture of the organization and the major issues it will face in the next 5 to 10 years. The vision statement is shared widely and describes both the nature of the organiza- tion 10 years hence and the qual- ities required of the new chief executive to lead toward that vi- sion. If the present leader and her team were right for yesterday and today, the new leader must be equally right for tomorrow. Cele- bration of the &ture--not perpet- uation of the past-underscores all

communication.

Phase 11: Building a Search Inzfiasfnic- ture. The search committee selects a search firm that understands the vision, goals, and expectations of

staff support to the search com- mittee, but then is scrupulous about not even appearing to direct the committee’s work.

Phase III: Delegating Authority. The board of directors has delegated to the search committee the selection of the search firm. Board and staff members, and other constituents, should submit nominations to the search firm, not to the search com- mittee, for screening-thus avoid- ing any appearance of internal pressure or preference. But before responsibility is delegated by the board of directors to the search committee, it is important for the board to agree on the selection pro- cess. Will the search committee

If the present leader and her team were right for yesterday and today, the new leader

must be equally right for tomorrow.

the organization. The chemistry has to be right. The chief execu- tive designs and manages the pro- cess-not the search itself. She helps to articulate organizational goals, may offer insight on the qualities necessary in a successor, and may advise on the selection of a search firm. She provides superb

present one final candidate to the board for approval, or does the board wish to interview two or three finalists? Once the selection process has been approved by the board, the delegation of authority must be clear and specific. The plan must then be adhered to as the pro- cess moves ahead.

8 Leader to Leader

~~ ~~~

Phase IF Conducting the Search. The search committee and the search firm agree on the ways to work: whether, for example, to cast a wide net or to concentrate on particular fields; the timetables and deadlines to meet; the number of final candidates the committee wiU interview, and when and where they will be interviewed. Ethical

Leaders spend much time thinking about how to propel the enter- prise-and their careers-into the future. They usually spend far too little time thinking about the right time and way to 1eave.Yet a suc- cessful m i t i o n can be a seamless, productive, and unif+ng experi- ence. Most of us will be remem- bered, in work and in life, for just

A generous and graceful separation can relieve some of the organizational anxiety.

m

behavior and observance of total confidentiality are key to the re- cruitment process. Ideally, the in- coming leader will be able to work with the outgoing leader in the weeks or months before taking office-always observing that the present leader carries f i d responsi- bility for the organization until the day she leaves. There are no lame ducks in a successful transition.

These four steps are not a blue- print for the success of all searches, but they do suggest order and principle in what can be a stressll event. Not all partings are planned or voluntary, of course. In these cases, a generous and gracefd sep- aration can relieve some of the organizational anxiety.

a few words or deeds that made a difference to others. The way we choose to say good-bye is likely to be one of the ways we are remem- bered. If we execute oar final lead- ership responsibihty with the same care and attention that we gave to the first, our departure can be an inspiring gfi to the enterprise and to the people in it.

Frariccs Hessrlbciri is editor- iri-diiCfc$ Leoder to Leadcu, presidetit m i d CEO o f t h e Drtirker Forrrzdafiori, arid

fortiler rliiCf exertrtive of the Girl S"?irfs oftlzc LISA.

Fall 1997 9