1. Succession Planning & Executive Transitions 101
Presented by
C. Mark Palmer, CEO, Woodhaven
Monica Wedlock Kilpatrick, Director of Connect Ministries, NBA
Webinar: November 2018

2. Image from http://www.nonprofitsaremessy.com

3. What’s the difference between executive transitions and succession planning?
Executive transitions are intermittent events that are timeline driven. They often begin with a precipitating event – the chief executive announcing his or her intentions to leave the organization or a more abrupt removal of the executive, for example – and wind down once a new executive has assumed the role and is oriented to the board and organization.
Succession planning, on the other hand, is an ongoing, continuous process that boards undertake to strengthen the foundation of the executive position. Succession planning creates the conditions for the incumbent chief executive to succeed, clarifies the organization’s current and future strategy, and provides a sound infrastructure to prepare the organization whenever the search for the next chief executive begins.1
1 “Communicating a Planned CEO Transition,” BoardSource.org

4. Workshop Outline Succession Planning Executive Transitions
The What and The Why
Who Should be Involved
Creating a Plan for your Organization
Review and Updating
Sample Plans
Executive Transitions
The Context
5 Classic Leadership Transition Types
Acting/Interim/Transition CEOs
Transition Timeline
Communication

5. Succession planning

7. Executive transitions

8. The Context for an Executive Transition
There are many reasons an organization/ministry might go through an executive transition. What are some reasons you can think of?
Retirement
Resignation
Firing
Interim
Emergency (illness, death, organization crisis)

9. 5 Classic Leadership Transition Types
Sustained success
Underperforming organization
Turnaround
First hire
Hard-to-follow executive

10. Acting / Interim / Transition Chief Executive
Acting CEO: Bridge leadership, 4-6 months, handles day-to-day affairs of organization
Interim CEO: Bridge leadership, 4-6 months, helps prepare the org to work with the incoming permanent CEO, deals with day-to-day affairs of the org, while at the same time building the platform for the permanent successor

11. Acting / Interim / Transition Chief Executive
Transition CEO: extended service, months, turn around an org experiencing serious problems or realign an underperforming org
Note: this term “Transition CEO” is not common; orgs who have gone this route have often used the Interim CEO title

12. Executive Transition Timeline
Departure-defined succession planning
Prepare
Pivot
Thrive

13. Communicating a Planned CEO Leadership Transition
Pre-Departure Announcement Planning
Departure Announcement
Progress Communications
New Executive Introduction

14. NBA Executive Support Services
There are a variety of ways the National Benevolent Association (NBA) might support the Executive Leadership and/or the Board of Trustees in Succession Planning, Executive Transitions, and a host of other administrative and operational support service needs. It is our desire to work with you to customize the kinds of support that might be most helpful ranging from providing sample resources, working directly with the board to design and implement a succession plan, full executive search support, or simply publicizing your position openings throughout the life of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). NBA draws on the expertise and experience of staff and the network of care providers across the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to support this work.

15. NBA Executive Support Services

16. q&A

17. More at: nbacares.org/connect-ministries
Thank You!
More at: nbacares.org/connect-ministries