Whether you’re approaching the planned end of your tenure, or you’re simply moving on to your next challenge, as the CEO and leader of a membership organisation, you may be wondering what role you should play in finding your successor.
It can be uncomfortable to think about who will fill your shoes, but taking your place in the driver’s seat and steering the Executive Search process can have it’s benefits for both you and your organisation.
Leadership transition has the ability to make or break an organisation. Any CEO, no matter the length of tenure, will want to ensure that their organisation is left in a strong position. By playing an active role in finding the next leader, you can ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
With the sitting CEO visibly at the helm of finding the right replacement, both your employees and association members can be confident in the transition, maintaining morale, engagement and retention.
Your in-depth knowledge of the company’s culture, values and mission is not only invaluable in helping to select a strategic fit but your involvement in the process also helps to ensure your own strategic vision of the association remains on track.
You may choose to drive search toward like-minded leaders, giving you the opportunity to find a replacement who will carry on the torch toward the goals for which you have set the foundations.
Your unique perspective as the sitting leader is essential to help selecting the true best fit to ensure future success, whether that be someone who aligns with your vision and continues your legacy, or someone who brings a new perspective that can build on all you have achieved.
Either way, your input in the decision can become your final achievement for the organisation, knowing you have helped to set them up for future success under new leadership and a new direction.
Driving the new CEO hiring process enables you to steady the waters and ensure minimum disruption. Subsequently ensuring that the position of your organisation remains strong during your exit.
A willingness to help choose the right leader to take the company forward to its next chapter showcases your commitment to the success and strategic vision of the organisation. Handled with grace and professionalism, taking control of your replacement can reflect well on your professional and personal character.
As much as a smooth transition will mitigate risk within the organisation and your stakeholders, a smooth and efficient hiring process can also help to accelerate your exit. Becoming the driver for your own succession can ensure all stakeholders remain on track and decisions are made swiftly.
Choosing the right Executive Search partner who can facilitate smooth stakeholder collaboration and help to make the decision process as efficient as possible can be the catalyst for starting your own new chapter, sooner.
Driving the selection of your own leadership replacement is a unique opportunity. Embrace the experience and the new challenges it brings for personal growth outside of your typical CEO responsibilities.
Remaining active and becoming the champion in the search process allows CEOs to achieve their own goals, quicker. In partnering with us, we can ease the process further, taking the strain when it comes to rigorous quality assessment, key competency benchmarking and expert evaluation.” – Dennis Howes, Co-Founder
Find out more about Executive Search for the membership sector.