Develop a Succession
Communications Plan

A foundation of the executive transition phase of succession planning is process transparency — communicating the how and why of decisions in a timely way.

To keep people engaged in and informed about what steps are being taken to find the right chief executive, it is helpful to provide opportunities for plenty of input from staff and other stakeholders in the process. The search committee chair should keep the entire board apprised of exactly where the committee is in its deliberations and what challenges, opportunities, and pitfalls it has encountered. The board should determine who the official spokesperson will be on the status of the search to reduce the chances that unfounded rumors, special interests, or confidential information will distort the message and undermine the search process.

It is critical to keep the entire community up to date on the status of the transition process during the several months that it usually takes from the announced departure of the incumbent to the start date of the new chief executive. Key constituencies to include in the communications loop might include funders, members, and local press, in addition to staff members. It is better to err on the side of providing too much information too frequently than the reverse.

Announcements on Web sites, newsletter articles, special bulletins, customized letters, and phone calls can be especially timely at the following points:

• To announce why the chief executive is departing, provide statistics about the individual’s term of service, and highlight his or her accomplishments
• To announce the formation of the search committee and its projected schedule
• To widely circulate the chief executive profile once it is developed by the search committee to encourage applicants and nominations
• To provide follow-up communication after the position has been announced that will keep people informed of the status of the search up until the time the chief executive has been chosen by the board
• To formally announce the appointment of the new chief executive to the entire community, including the local and professional media
• To share relevant information about the chief executive’s observations, participation in special events, or key initiatives in the initial months of office Executive searches almost always take longer than expected. During this time, people are likely to feel both excitement and fear about the emerging possibilities.

The board and the search committee should not be so carried away with their work that they neglect to provide regular, timely, and meaningful updates to all stakeholders on decisions that have been made, as well as decisions that have not yet been made. Regular reporting and as much openness as possible (without violating the need to keep the names of candidates and other matters confidential) are essential to sustain faith in the integrity of the leadership transition process.

This is an excerpt from the publication "CEO Succession Planning: Essential Guidance for Boards and CEOs, Second Edition" By Nancy R. Axelrod

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