Picking up from my previous thoughts on developing strategies for transition, it’s important to note that the initial phase (the ASSESS phase) will result in much information for leadership to use as guidance as the organization conducts the CEO search, receives feedback from stakeholders and performs the environmental scan. This learning will directly suggest strategic direction and initiatives, as well as the leadership traits the organization needs to recruit and develop.
If your organization has done an honest and thorough assessment, leadership should be experiencing increased comfort and confidence related to taking action – and action is exactly what happens in the second phase of CEO transition: the COMMIT phase.
At its most basic level, this phase is simply about creating strategy, taking action and searching and selecting the new CEO based on the work of the prior phase.
But at a deeper level, the organization is using transition to commit to new, decisive and strategic directions.
It’s critical to understand this because too often organizations become overwhelmed and consumed by the transition of the CEO and, as a result, become frozen, afraid to make a move or change.
This can be very detrimental.
After all, how many organizations do you know that can afford to be in suspended animation for months?
When leadership is deeply involved in the transition, key players feel in control during what would otherwise be a very uncertain time for the organization. This goes a long way toward improving morale and satisfaction, as well as generating meaningful forward motion.
ACTION STEPS
Developing the materials and initiatives that will guide the COMMIT phase is the critical action during this period.
The board will use a job description and skills matrix to inform its search for the CEO. The strategic priorities not only outline initiatives, milestones and a timeline for action, but can also be used to develop questions and screening criteria for CEO candidates.
Once the leadership team has identified the gaps in leadership on which to focus, they will engage tools, techniques and education to address those gaps.
Because the COMMIT phase requires the organization to work on several areas at once – which can be very challenging – it’s important to establish good communication between all groups, as well as assign responsibility to the board and/or members of the leadership team to help make tasks more manageable.
The goal is to have all involved feel knowledgeable and supported. A RACI Model is a good tool to use to help with communication and accountability.
Your COMMIT phase should include:
Thank you, I’ve just been searching for info about this topic for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve discovered so far. But, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you certain concerning the source?
James DeSimone / Travis Wickline My point exactly about facts and stats. It will show the homosexual mafia throws out amazing numbers of support for their agenda, yet at the polls when normal people do the voting, the figures just dont add up and we defeat the hosxemouals and win every single time. I say 99% will tear out the pages. What say you travis the antagonist?