Tracey Crawford, Executive Director, Northwest Special Recreation Association

1. Succession
Planning is
Coaching
Employees for
Success
Tracey Crawford, CTRS, CPRP
NWSRA, Executive Director
tcrawford@nwsra.org/1-847-392-2848

2. “Succession planning is
consistent coaching and
mentoring of employees
to help them reach and
achieve their
professional goals while
meeting the agency’s
goals/needs.”
Part of good leadership means seeing
yourself as a coach that is constantly
coaching employees up.

3. YOU
Don’t
BuildaBusiness
YouBuild
PEOPLE
andthenPEOPLE
BUILDtheBusiness

4. 4
Who is
influencing your
employees and
what role do you
play?

5. 5

6. 6

7. How to LeadYour
Employees by
Coaching

8. 8

9. 9

10. 10

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SeeYourself as a Coach…
• It is time to loose the antiquated definitions of a coach
• Remember…you have a lot to offer!
• Coaching is not just when the employee is performing poorly, or on a
performance improvement plan
• You should be constantly coaching the employee up to the next position and while
understanding their strengths and recognizing opportunities or threats
• Build a relationship of mutual trust. The foundation of any of any coaching
relationship is rooted in the manager’s day-to-day relationship with the employee

12. 12
• Soon, millennials will make up the largest generation of the workforce, and they want
regular feedback at work
• More positive and constructive feedback for all creates a culture of openness in the office
• Employees will keep better track of their productivity and feel more empowered to
successfully achieve a work-life balance
• Taking in negative feedback provides the opportunity for the employee to implement
personal control through analysis of one’s external and internal goals
• While employers provide external rewards, like bonuses, employees are also driven by
internal goals as well – seeing the success of a project through or having more time with
family
Give More Frequent Feedback…

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14. What is Succession
Planning?
It’s a strategy for identifying and developing
future leaders at your agency – at all levels.

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Succession plans are used to address the
inevitable changes that occur when
employees resign, retire, are fired, get
sick, or pass away. They make sure the
agency is prepared for all contingencies
by identifying and training high-potential
workers for advancement into key roles.
What is succession
planning?

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What is succession
planning?
This is a critical but often overlooked
process for companies, and something
they all need to continue to run
smoothly. It’s also a manageable event,
not a major organizational crisis. The end
result is a well-oiled machine with a
multitude of favourable outcomes, not
least of which is staff retention.

17. 7
Ways to Kick-Start
Your Succession Planning
17

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7 Ways to Kick-StartYour Succession Planning
1
BE PROACTIVE WITH
SUCCESSION PLANNING
Even if you don’t think
you will need a
replacement in the near
future, prepping someone
to assume an important
role creates an invaluable
safety net.
2
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
There may appear to be
an obvious successor,
don’t disregard other
promising employees.
Look for employees who
best display the skills
necessary to thrive in
higher positions,
regardless of their current
title.
3
MAKE THE VISION KNOWN
Include potential managers
in strategy conversations to
help them acquire planning
and leadership skills, as well
as a broad vision of the
organization and its
objectives. Consider sharing
your succession planning
with human resources and
your board of directors..

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Ways to Kick-StartYour Succession Planning
4
5
OFFER REGULAR FEEDBACK TO PROTEGES
Keep track of the achievements of a top-performer in a file so you have
something to reference the next time a management position opens. Diligently
documenting topics like strong work and achievement will also come in handy
during performance reviews.
.
PROVIDE TRAINING TO PEAK PERFORMERS
As you identify your top performers, offer mentoring relationships, job
shadowing and training, which are true articles of value to help them develop
new skills and refine existing ones.

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Ways to Kick-StartYour Succession Planning
6
DO A TRIAL RUN OF
YOUR SUCCESSION
PLAN
A vacation is a great time
to have a potential
successor step in to
assume some
responsibilities. The
employee will gain
experience while you
learn how prepared the
person is to take on a
bigger role..
7
USE YOUR PLAN TO
DEVELOP A HIRING
STRATEGY
Once you have identified
internal employees as
successors for key roles in
you organization, take
note of any talent gaps. In
this way, the succession
planning process can help
you identify where to
focus your recruiting
efforts.

21. DEVELOPING A
SUCCESSION
PLANNING PROCESS
21

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Key areas and positions are those that are critical to the organization’s
operational activities and strategic objectives.
Identify which positions, if left vacant, would make it very difficult to
achieve current and future strategic goals.
STEP 1. Identify Key Areas and Positions

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To establish selection criteria, focus employee development efforts, and set
performance expectations, you need to determine the capabilities required
for the key areas and positions identified in Step 1.
 Identify the relevant knowledge, skills (including language), abilities, and
competencies needed to achieve agency goals.
Think of the key leadership competencies needed.
Inform employees about key areas and positions and required capabilities.
STEP 2. Identify Capabilities for Key
Areas and Positions

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Determine who is interested in and has the potential to fill key areas and
positions.
 Discuss career plans and interested employees.
Identify the key areas and positions that are vulnerable and the candidates
who are ready to advance or whose skills and competencies could be
developed within the required time frame.
Ensure that a sufficient number of diverse candidates are in feeder groups
for key areas and positions
STEP 3. Identify Interested Employees
and AssessThem Against Capabilities

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Incorporate strategies for learning, training, development, and transfer for
agency knowledge into your succession planning and management.
Define the learning, training, and development experiences that the
organization requires for leadership positions and other key areas and
positions.
Link employees to the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for current
and future roles.
Discuss with employees how they can pass on their institutional
knowledge.
STEP 4. Develop and Implement
Succession and KnowledgeTransfer
Plans

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Evaluate and monitor your succession planning and management efforts to
ensure the following:
Succession plans are created for all key areas and positions are developed.
Key positions are filled quickly with qualified staff.
New employees in key positions perform effectively and have the
necessary skills and knowledge.
STEP 5. Evaluate Effectiveness

27. Key Position Analysis
Key Position
Anticipated Vacancy (Date and Reason)
Current knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed and the level of complexity of the position.
Future KSAs needed for the position.

28. Position Name Incumbent Name Open in <1 year Open in 1-3
years
Open in >3
years
Succession Planning Chart
Candidate’s Name Current Position Succession Position Desired Ready in <1
year
Ready in 1-3
years
Ready in >3 years

29. Name:
Date:
Describe your career goals/objectives.
a. Short-term (1 -5 years):
a. Long-term (5+ years)
a. Ultimate career desired
If you have identified a position (s) in question #1 within the Association that you would like to be promoted to, on a scale from 1 -5 (1 being not ready and 5 being ready
now), how would you rate your readiness for this position? Circle your answer below.
1 2 3 4 5
What actions, experiences, trainings, or goals would you need in order to prepare for the position that you have identified above?

30. If you have identified a position (s) in question #1 within the Association that you would like to be promoted to, on a scale from 1 -5 (1 being not ready and 5 being ready
now), how would you rate your readiness for this position? Circle your answer below.
1 2 3 4 5
What actions, experiences, trainings, or goals would you need in order to prepare for the position that you have identified above?

31. List Strengths:
List Areas of Development:
Identify Readiness Level:
Evaluating Key Employees Form
Name: _______________________________________________________________________

32. Action Plan Outline
Name: ________________________________________________
Key Position: _________________________________________________________
Overall Performance Summary:
Key Strengths:
Development Needs:
Development Plan:

33. Sample Action Plan
Name: Richard Smith
Key Position: Superintendent of Recreation (1)
Overall Performance Summary:
Richard hit the ground running when he was promoted to Manager in 2008. He has the ability to organize and implement numerous projects for the Association. He is a great leader and is able to
motivate the staff he supervises.
Key Strengths:
 Leader
 Team Player
 Ability to work on complex projects
Development Needs:
 Time management – Completion of paperwork and some assignment on time.
Development Plan:
 Attend time management workshops, courses and trainings. Work with supervisor to create timelines.

34. Last but not least, succession planning is coaching employees for
success and is an investment in your agency’s future. If you have
plans to move up the ranks, bear in mind you’ll need a successor,
too, who is enthusiastic about moving up. Who is coaching you?
Knowing the importance of identifying potential future leaders and
developing a succession plan, you help employees feel valued for
their contributions and eager to realize their potential within the
agency.
34

35. THANKYOU
Tracey Crawford
1-847-392-2848 x 251
tcrawford@nwsra.org
www.nwsra.org