Trends & Issues
Leadership transition for founders:
You have to finish before you start
Suzie Addison-Toor
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In 1997, Suzie Addison-Toor founded Addus, a charitable organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities. In 2007, she left Addus and started Engage Consulting, a consulting boutique that specializes in Executive Transition Management. |
The hardest thing I've ever done was leave the organization I founded. I started it; I grew it; and I was responsible! But somewhere deep inside, I knew it was time to leave. My baby was growing up and I was not sure that I particularly liked the adolescent years of organizational growth. Lots of policy building, systems management and committees. The buzz of building and creating, the thrill of my first significant funding and the flavour of hope and magic was ebbing. As sad as it was, I knew I needed to leave so my organization could continue to grow. I had to hand over the reins to a different type of leader that understood and thrived on systems development.
But, it took me a while to really leave. After the transition, stakeholders wanted to meet me for coffee, staff felt they needed to keep me in the loop and board members kept checking in with me.
A year after the transition I was trained as an Executive Management Practitioner. Only then did I begin to understand some of the mistakes we had made during the transition and how I was still having a negative impact on the success of the transition.
Deciding to leave is extremely difficult, especially if you are a founder. It's difficult because it consists of two things: processes AND people-and it's the people part of executive transition that complicates things.
Through my own personal experience and in my work as an Executive Transition Practitioner, I have learned that you have to finish before you start.
Top five factors that contribute to good endings:
YOUR MESSAGE: Carefully plan out how you are going to tell everybody.
Timing is everything. Key players will want to find out that you are leaving, from you. They will want to know why, when and how. They will have many questions and emotions will be high. Drill down your key messages and stay on message.
EMOTIONS: Don't underestimate the emotional aspects of the transition.
As a founder, you may feel guilty and disloyal or jubilant and free-or all of those emotions rolled into one-its quite confusing. Working with a coach to help you work through the confusion is highly recommended.
Staff will experience a whole range of emotions. Some staff will be worried, angry, and sad. Some will feel like leaving while some will feel that it's their duty to carry on what the leader has started. And yes, there will be some that will understand, respect and support the leader's decision.
How you and the board handle the tapestry of emotions will greatly affect the success of the transition.
TIME: Give people enough time to come to terms with the leadership change.
In an ideal situation, the founder will declare that he or she is leaving 6-12 months prior to the transition. This will give the board enough time to ensure a professional and successful transition process. The staff and stakeholders also need enough time to work through the loss of their leader and become supportive of the transition.
CLOSURE: Make sure you have closure.
There will be no good beginnings unless there is a good ending. Founding directors, no matter how awkward, need to work with the board in planning an appropriate "send off" that involves staff and key stakeholders. The event involves recognition of the past achievements and allows for closure for all parties. Timing considerations are important.
LEAVE: Leave while the party is still on!
This is the most critical piece of advice. The incoming ED, the staff and the board can't get started with you still in the wings! They need to get to know each other, start building relationships and talk about the organization's future direction together. Make sure that you have clearly defined your post transition role; a role that allows the new team to move forward...not look back.
Related information, tools and resources:
Leadership Transitions - Checklist of Key Interventions (PDF)
Guide to Setting up a Leadership Transition Committee (PDF)
Transition Committee - Duties and Responsibilities Checklist (PDF)
HR Toolkit - Hiring an Executive Director
