KEVIN NOREEN CONSULTING

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• Succession…Planning, who is going to replace you and the leaders around you? – Part II
  In a previous blog post “Succession…Planning, who is going to replace you and the leaders around you? – Part I”, I made the case for why you need to be thinking about succession planning in your organization and gave you a framework for starting a succession plan. In this article, I will give you some specific actions you can take to start putting that succession plan into action. Now that you have identified top talent you want to invest in as future leaders in your organization, what specific steps can you take to start the development of these future leaders.  First, create opportunities for these future leaders to learn more about leadership and what strengths, skills and experience will help prepare them for future leadership positions. What type of roles, responsibilities and programs can you put these future leaders in to start learning and developing those skills?  Do you have a need for a new program to be launched or re-invented? Last month, we thought deeply about skills and traits that are part of your company’s DNA. How do we teach these skills? Are there experts in our organization that model this? Are there people outside of the organization that have these skills that they can come and work with these leaders? Is there a task or program that you don’t have time to complete or launch on your own that you could task this potential future leader?  Once you identify that role or task, you need to be clear with your future leader what your expectations are. Who will ultimately be responsible for implementing or completing the task and what support and resources are you going to provide your future leader throughout this process. Can you truly delegate this entire task or role or do they need your approval along the way as they navigate the project or task? Do others in the organization know that you have delegated this task or role to the future leader and have you clarified for them what your role is in the project? Your future leader’s success will partially depend upon how you set them up for success.  In regards to this assignment, depending upon the hierarchy of your organization, you may need to be very clear with your supervisor what responsibilities are you delegating to the future leader and what responsibilities will continue to be yours. A critical component in developing a new leader is providing them with coaching and mentoring. Schedule regular check-ins with them to review and discuss the task or program they are working on. Be clear with your intent about why you are assigning them this task or program. Be transparent with them that you see them as a future leader in your organization and that you would like to give them an opportunity to grow and develop some leadership skills and gain experience in the area of leadership. One of my favorite questions I recommend my clients to ask their direct reports is,”What do you need from me to be successful?”  Create a safe space for your future leaders to come to you with questions and put out ideas and ask for your input and suggestions. Remember, you want your future leaders to feel supported as they develop their leadership skills and start to grow into the type of leader you know they can be.  Finally, gather feedback, assess progress and evaluate the growth your future leaders are making and whether anything needs to be tweaked, scraped or added. You might find that a coaching technique or some advice you gave your future leaders did not have the result you were intending. Don’t repeat it, shift, adjust and ask your future leader for feedback on what they would like to see differently from you as their coach and mentor. My final comment on succession planning is, don’t force a round peg in a square hole. If you don’t see the “right” future leader in your organization to step into a critical role, that is ok. Conduct a recruitment to bring someone in from outside the organization. Having the right person in the right seat on the bus is critical to carry on the vision and legacy of your organization. Investing in legacy leadership will keep you on the path to a successful future.  
• Succession…Planning, who is going to replace you and the leaders around you? – Part I
  Succession Planning – no, it’s not the sequel to the original “Succession” television series. The HBO series Succession was not for everyone. My family recommended I watch it, so I binged it myself. It wasn’t my favorite, so I won’t put it on a “required” watchlist for executives who are needing to focus on succession planning for their organization (sorry HBO). However, as an executive leadership coach, I did align with the most obvious theme of the show, its title, Succession. You don’t have to be in business with family members to understand that legacy, continuity, and your organization’s reputation and success is staked on people who will become the next leaders of the organization. One way to not leave that to chance is to develop great staff into future leaders via succession planning. In this 2 post series, I will introduce an initial framework for you to use as a starting place on how to start succession planning and then in the 2nd post in a few weeks, I will give you some concrete steps you can start taking to put your succession plan into action. What is succession planning? I define succession planning as first, identifying future leaders in your organization and second, investing and developing them so that they are positioned to planfully move into leadership positions that will be vacated in the foreseeable future. Here is a framework to help you plan and discuss with your leadership team, board of directors and other key leaders in your organization what you need to start doing in terms of a succession plan. First, identify top talent in your organization. Some experts in the area of succession planning call this “identifying potential.” One caution to be aware of, “identifying potential” can be extremely subjective and open to bias if you don’t have a plan on how to identify these potential future leaders. The question for you and your team to address is what criteria will you use to identify “top talent”? Do you just go with “your gut” or do you take the time to develop criteria and identify traits that you would like to see in future leaders of your business or organization.  As a former Director of Human Resources, my recommendation is to create criteria and develop a list of traits of future leaders. That is best practice for organizations before putting out a job description and a hiring announcement, so why wouldn’t you do the same for future leaders.  Are you looking for a “growth mindset,” where the person believes that everyone can be successful in their positions? Does the person have a track record for building strong relationships with staff, direct reports and supervisors? Take the time to brainstorm and look at current, successful executives and leaders in your organization, and identify the traits, skills and characteristics that make them great leaders. Then, take that list and start looking around your organization for people who match that list either in part or in total. Remember, not everyone will meet all of the essential characteristics of a future leader, just like you didn’t master all of your responsibilities in your current role on day one. Gallup found that organizations with poor succession planning fail to choose the candidate with the best talent fit for the job 82% of the time. The negative impact of not placing the right person in a leadership role is costly to an organization. So, don’t fall into that 82% group and put together a well-thought out, strategic succession plan, by identifying the skills, strengths and characteristics you need in your future leaders. Once you have your list of future leader criteria, start identifying who those future leaders are in your organization. Think strategically about how you can create or identify opportunities for these future leaders to learn more about becoming a leader. Be planful on how to develop their strengths, skills and experience that will help prepare them for future leadership positions. Are there roles, responsibilities and programs you can put these future leaders in now to start developing those skills?  The first place to start is with your own position. Take some time to make a list of people you think have the potential to step into your role once you decide to leave your position. If there is no one on that list, get to work! The next positions to focus on are your leadership team and direct reports.  Once you have a list or one or more people for all of these critical leadership positions, join me next month where you and I will explore specific steps we will take to start putting your succession plan into action.
• The Power of Modeling: Why Leaders Must Walk the Talk
  In a memorable 1993 Nike commercial, NBA star Charles Barkley famously declared, “I’m not a role model…Just because I dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids.”  While I may not be able to dunk a basketball or command millions as a Director of Human Resources, I’ve come to understand that as a leader, modeling behavior is crucial. It can create a positive ripple effect throughout your organization. As leaders, we have a unique opportunity to set the tone for our teams and organizations. Throughout my career I have witnessed firsthand how leaders who embody the values and behaviors they wish to instill in their teams can transform workplace culture and drive success.  Modeling behavior is a powerful leadership tool. It begins with identifying the values, norms, and principles that define your leadership style. What do you stand for? Once you have clarity, share these values with your team. Then, commit to being a living example of those principles. Encourage your colleagues to hold you accountable, challenging you when your actions stray from your stated values. For example, in my previous role as an HR Director, I prioritized conducting fair hiring processes. I made it a point to ensure that my decisions aligned with the highest standards of fairness. When administrators sought shortcuts in hiring, I pushed back, reinforcing the importance of integrity. Over time, I noticed a shift; administrators began asking themselves, “What would Kevin do?” before considering a shortcut. Nonverbal communication is equally powerful in modeling behavior. Your actions speak volumes about what you expect from your team. I made it a point to engage fully in meetings, actively listening and respecting others when they spoke. When I expected my team to show engagement, I had to model that behavior myself. If I had checked my phone while someone else was talking, it would have sent a clear message that disrespect was acceptable. Instead, by maintaining eye contact and actively participating, I fostered a culture of respect and attentiveness. Consider how your actions are perceived. Everyone is watching—even when you think they aren’t. A moment of frustration, such as raising your voice at a colleague, can spread through the office and organization quickly. Conversely, when I took the time to listen patiently to a staff member who was upset and needed to vent, it reinforced a culture of openness and support. Modeling behavior is ultimately about character. As John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach, said, “Be more concerned with your character rather than your reputation. Because your character is really who you are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” Integrity is crucial for effective leadership. For me, it meant standing firm on my principles, especially when they were tested. When asked to approve a hiring decision that bypassed our fair process, I remained steadfast in my commitment to integrity, reinforcing our shared values. This consistency not only strengthened my own credibility but also encouraged my team to embrace those same standards. In essence, walk your talk. Do what you say you will do, and practice what you preach. By modeling the values, norms, and principles that matter to you and your team, you create a cohesive culture where everyone feels aligned. Reflect on your own role models and how they influenced you. Now, consider how you can become a role model for others. Your leadership legacy starts with you—by embodying the behaviors you wish to see, you will inspire those around you to do the same. Ultimately, this commitment to modeling will lead to a more engaged, cohesive, and high-performing team and organization.
• One on One Meetings – Implementing A New Framework
  In my previous blog post, I set out a new orientation for one-on-one meetings with your direct reports. Now that you have redefined the focus of your one-on-one’s, how do you create the framework for these meetings? What are the themes you need to keep front and center for these one-on-one’s? How do you go about creating a deeper, personal connection, providing your direct reports with support and building trust? Here are a few tips on how to structure and organize your one-on-one’s. First, talk with your direct reports about the intent of these one-on-one’s. Be very clear that these meetings are for them and that you want them to feel safe in bringing up issues, topics and ideas they want to share with you.  Shift your mindset to be a listener! The main thing to bring to these meetings are open ended questions and the mindset of actively listening to their responses. Research shows that employees value and view their supervisors as great leaders when they truly feel listened to.  Start with checking in with them. Find out how they are doing personally. Ask questions and make sure to listen to their answers. You might be surprised what they choose to share with you. Model caring and empathy! Remember, these one-on-one’s are for them, not you. It might take some time for them to feel comfortable sharing on a deeper level. Ask them if there is anything that they would like to talk about. Remember, this is their meeting, their agenda, so let them come up with the topics. Is there a situation or problem they are working on that they would like to share? Depending upon how safe you have made these spaces for your direct reports, that will dictate what problems or issues they choose to bring to you.  Ask them,”Is there anything you need from me at this time to be more successful?” Again, listen to their response and be ready to say “yes” to their request for assistance or support. Of course, there will be things that you won’t be able to agree to, but rather than a simple,”I can’t do that,” response, is there something in the request that you can do for them that will show your support and add to the level of trust between the two of you? One of the primary functions of one-on-one’s is giving your direct reports personalized professional mentoring. As a supervisor, your goal should be to support your direct reports in their work so that they are successful. One of the most valuable things you can give your direct reports is your time.  Modeling is a great way to build trust. If you are in the stage of building trust, bring up an issue you are struggling with and ask them for their ideas, coaching or suggestions for next steps. Once you create a safe place to talk honestly and openly about work issues, these one-on-one’s will produce greater, richer results in your relationships with them and also support their growth in your organization. Finally, be on time for one-on-one’s, be prepared to engage in thoughtful conversation and avoid having to reschedule. This will show your commitment to them as an employee and valued member of your team. And thank them for taking the time to meet with you. As the supervisor, you can still have performance review “check ins” to get updates on projects and tasks your direct reports are working on. Just don’t do that in your one-on-one’s. By creating space in your one-on-one meetings with your direct reports for them to drive the agenda, ask questions and share about themselves personally, you will start to see them be more engaged, more empowered, and trust will build between you.
• One-on-One Meetings – A New Orientation for Supervisors

  Many supervisors meet with their direct reports on a regular basis. The supervisor uses these meetings to get updates on where the direct report is on tasks and projects, and asks them to let the supervisor know if they need any help with anything. In my vernacular, these are not “one-on-one’s”, these are “check ins.”

  I propose a new orientation for supervisors to meet with their direct reports that leads to a more personal connection, a way for you as the supervisor to show support and also build trust with your direct report. For your new “one-on-one’s” focus your conversation on the three following areas:

  

  Personal Connection – Employees are more likely to work harder, care about their team/organization/co-workers and be more engaged when they have a personal connection at work. So, go ahead and learn more about your direct reports. Do you know about their interests outside of work? Do you know what matters to them outside of the office? Do you share anything in common with your direct reports? The more you can know about your direct report, about what makes them “Them,” the better you will be able to navigate the workplace, situations and stresses that affect them.

  Show Support – Do you remember working for a boss who you were afraid to talk to or never felt you could be honest with when you needed help or didn’t know how to complete a project? We all have probably had one. So, don’t be that boss to your direct reports. Demonstrate to them, by your actions, that you support them and want them to be successful! One way to do this is to show vulnerability on your own. Give them an example of when you were supported by a supervisor or someone higher up the chain of command and how that helped you become who you are today. Do what you say you will do (DWYSYWD – for those that like acronyms). If you tell your direct report they can come ask you anything, then make sure your door is open when they come to you with a problem. And, don’t make them feel bad about the questions they bring you.

  

  Build Trust –  Ultimately, the amount of trust between you and your direct reports will have a direct impact on the successes you will have as a team. If your direct reports don’t trust you enough to bring you issues and problems they need help with, you won’t be able to move the dial in terms of effectiveness and productivity. Start small, extend what some call “smart trust” to begin with and if that makes a deposit into the “trust bank” between you and your direct report, extend a little more trust to them. If there is a breakdown of trust between you, on either side, address it as soon as possible and have an open, honest conversation about the consequences and what it will take to rebuild the trust that was lost. Then, get back to creating and building trust between one another.

  

  Create a new focus for your one-on-one’s and start down a new road to building stronger relationships that create an engaged team that trusts one another to accomplish greatness. In my next post I will give you some specific strategies to start using in your one-on-one’s.

Values
Recognizing, identifying and developing potential in others
Developing excellent leaders by igniting their talent
Motivating leaders to become the best they can be
Investing in and working with Star Performers and Future Stars in an organization
Treating others with professionalism and respect
Model, Coach, Care