Alumni association succession planning

Succession Planning:Building an Alumni Leadership Pipeline

Laura M. Grisolano

Alumni Association Board President

Claremont McKenna College

January 13, 2008


Session Description

If the only time you think about developing alumni leadership is when you’re bringing new members on to your board, you’re missing a great opportunity.

As you’re planning programming for young alumni and students, are you incorporating leadership growth opportunities?

Are you using committee activities and projects to train and evaluate future volunteer leaders?

This session will show you how to use a team-oriented approach to creating and maintaining an alumni leadership pipeline.

Laura M. Grisolano [email protected]


Students

NewAlumni

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



• Developing awareness of alumni association

• Building relationships with faculty and administrators

• Assuming leadership roles

Students



• Creating a new relationship with the institution

• Attending first alumni events

• Making first donations

• Eager to network

• Still connected to college faculty and administrators

NewAlumni



Volunteer

Project volunteer

Project leader

Candidate for board

Board leader

Board officer

Post-board engagement

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



Willing to volunteer

Write article for magazine

Work reception at event

Mentor current student

Provide professional service

to college

Work phone bank

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



Project volunteer

On-going commitment

Attend meetings

Ownership in project

Connections

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



Project leader

Responsible for outcome

Accountable

Recognized

o Committee chair

o Project manager

o Class liaison

o Chapter chair

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



Candidate for board

Successful outcome

Strong commitment

Enthusiastic

Special resource

Valuable skill

Represents important

demographic

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



Board leader

Committee chair

Project manager

Board officer

Executive committee

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders



Post board engagement

Advisor

Network

Ambassador

Planned gift “matures”

Multi-Generational

Pool of Alumni

Leaders


Succession Planning Challenge:Throughout the Alumni Lifecycle, Identify Opportunities to

MotivateRecruit

Engage Train

Evaluate



• Succession planning must be managed

– Create a team plan to maximize engagement opportunities and support institutional goals

• Staff & alumni association leadership

• Integrate with strategic plan

• Locate responsibility for leadership pipeline – Nominating committee?



• Role of nominating committee

– Manager of succession planning

– 5-year plan – look ahead

– Maintain lists of targets, potential board members

– Attention to age, geography, skill sets

– Chair: President-elect? Vice President? Staff?

– Responsible for:• Cultivating candidates• Board leadership development• Evaluation



Opportunities to develop alumni leaders:

• Students & young alumni– Ex officio student members on board– Automatic transition from student leadership positions– Invitations to student leaders to attend meetings– Include students on board committees

– Young alumni committees• Low cost, short term, fun, class-oriented, big perks

– Pair young alumni with more senior project managers




• Projects– Create visible roles that take advantage of individual

skills and interests:• Run publicity campaign for event• Organize faculty participation in program• Write e-newsletter entry• International alumni liaison• Alumni athletes liaison• Ad hoc committee for anniversary of “x”• Reunion committee




• Projects (cont.)

– Create opportunity to “coordinate _____”

– Empower alumni to solve problems and fill gaps• Once they do, they’ll be hooked• If they do a good job, they go on the list of

potential board members




• Chapters

– Same succession planning principles apply locally

– Use projects to engage and train volunteers

– Note superstars and those eager for more responsibility

– Past chapter leaders can be excellent board members



• Expanding your roster of potential board members

– Process is designed to identify and nurture alumni volunteer leaders

– These efforts will produce a pool of potential candidates for your board member selection process

– Tracked by nominating committee



• Continuing leadership development – Succession planning doesn’t end w/ board membership

– A deep bench of board leaders is important, too

– Same process continues within board:

• Board committees

• Leadership roles– Spotlight on national calls– Presentations to board/school administrators– Invitations to trustee committee meetings



MotivateRecruit

Engage Train

Evaluate



• Recruit

– Publicize volunteer leadership opportunities

• Magazine

• E-newsletter

• Introductory remarks at events

• Advertise perks, too!!


Succession Planning:Building An Alumni Leadership Pipeline

• Recruit

– Use existing communication vehicles to identify

potential volunteers:

• Ballot

• Surveys (“Would you like to volunteer?”)

• Invitations

• Event sign-in sheets



• Engage

– Personal contact to lock in participation:

• Introductions

• Welcome

• Confirmation

• Emailed or mailed materials

– Don’t let them hang or get lost!!



• Train

– Once engaged, make sure volunteers have training

they need, including:

• Software

• Past practices

• Protocols

• Introductions to key players

• Clear metrics and expectations



• Motivate

– Communication

– Insider information

– Personal stories

– Perks and incentives



• Motivate


• Special invitations

• Access

• Public recognition

• Awards:

Volunteer of the Year, Chapter of the Year, etc.

• Community



• Motivate


• Leadership development/Resume building

• Goodies

• Appreciation

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!



• Evaluate

– Outcome

– Metrics

– Skills, characteristics, resources

– Commitment

– Appropriate next steps

Recruit



MotivateRecruit

Engage Train

Evaluate



StudentsEx officio members

Special invites

New AlumniPartner up

Short term, Big perks

Networking

Access

Alumni Leaders

Volunteer

Project Volunteer

Project Leader

Candidate for Board

Board Leader

Board Officer

Post-Board Engagement

MotivateRecruit

Engage Train

Evaluate


Education

Alumni association succession planning