1. Succession Planning and Beyond Nurturing AND Developing Leaders
Ghasem Nahvipour
CEO
Comprehensive Life Resources
2015 Washington State Nonprofit Conference
May 13th, 2015 1

2. “Over 50% of organizations in the U. S
“Over 50% of organizations in the U.S. expect a significant change in leadership in the next 5 years” 2

3. Key Factors: Will struggle with:
“The succession problem in state, local and federal government is the big gorilla. It’s huge. What these employees deliver or don’t deliver affects so many people”.
Key Factors:
World of C’s (complex, confusing, controversial, contradicting,….)
Retirement of the Baby Boomer Generation and merging Z (Digital) Generation
Digital World
Flat organizations with few successors
Recruiting new talent
Will struggle with:
Constrained supply and increasing demand
Recruiting
Developing of internal talent 3

4. Implications Need focused efforts on: Succession planning means:
highest impact activities
Succession planning means:
Full integration of mission, vision and values
Continuous demand for the increase in productivity
Facilitating easier leadership transitions
Investing in leadership capabilities
Refining management rewards to retain and attract top talent
Expanding recruiting horizons
Fostering individual career mobility. 4

5. Succession Planning Objective: Major components: Inspiring talents
Anticipate and secure an adequate supply
of talent for future organizational needs
Major components:
Defined goals and organizational support
Linking talent strategy to organizational strategy
Identifying talent
Developing talent
Retaining key talent
Deploying talent to balance short and long-term organizational needs
Inspiring talents
Measuring system effectiveness 5

6. Development Activities
10%
Training
25%
On The Job
65%
Individual, Experiential Coaching
AND
Leading By Example
Learning & Dev Programs
Internal leadership classes
University-based programs
Executive External programs
Self Directed Dev
Reading lists
Executive Book Club
On-the-job Activities
Expanding / modifying current job
Shadowing – other leaders
Short term high-impact cross-functional projects
Site visits – other organizations, suppliers, etc.
Job Rotations
External Involvement
Trade/ industry associations
Leadership role in civic/ community groups
Planning for Succession: A Toolkit for Board Members and Staff of non-Profit
Merianne Liteman
Illinois Arts Alliance Foundation
Succession Planning and Sustainability in Nonprofit Organizations (internet)
Mindy Lubar Price
Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent From Within
William Rothwell
Feedback, Coaching, Mentoring
Internal / External Coaching
Mentoring 6

7. Common Challenges Roles and responsibilities not defined
HR, Leadership, Metrics/ Reporting
Failure to identify “strategic” positions and people
Multigenerational workforce AND merging X, Y and Z Generations
Improper prioritization of succession risks
Excessive reliance on “mgr.” identification of talent
Talent not shared across the organization
Today’s speed & intensity and frequency of change
No process for developing key talent
Our blessing is becoming our curse 7

8. “Current State” Questions
What are the current/ future environmental issues facing your organization?
What types of talent will be needed to execute your strategy?
What are your biggest talent gaps now? 2 years? 5 years?
Which stage of succession planning is your organization in? (Replacement, Succession or Talent Mgmt.)
What steps will be critical for building the future talent pipeline? 8

9. COMPREHENSIVE LIFE RESOURCES SUCCESSION PLANNING FROM FY OCT 2010 TO THE PRESENT TIME
Flat Organization.
Expand the Executive Management Team from 6 to 15.
CEO meets one-on-one with every top applicant prior to presenting final offer.
Leadership training for all the managers during weekly Management Team Meetings (formal or informal).
Mentor/coach training for new employee individually.
Identified the potential future Leaders.
Filled five (5) vacant, senior-level positions with internal employees.
Individual manager mentoring/coaching by CEO for future leaders.
CEO conducts presentation on our values and our principles during monthly, new employee orientation.
Multi-applicant (panel) interview with top applicants for every position within the agency.
Being connector to seek potential in prospective leaders
(What you seek is seeking you)
Success at Past Agencies
Open Book Management
Leadership training series certification

10. Ghasem’s Future Leadership Training Series (2015 -2016)
Transcendent Leadership
Multigenerational Workforce
Succession Planning
From Coach to Awakener (Transcendent Coaching)
Emotional Intelligence
Traits of Inspired Employees
From Connection to Engagement
Nothing is About Me AND Everything is About Me
Life of Inner Peace, Joy and Contentment
Servant Leadership
Lead by Heart – Manage by Data
Challenges/Opportunities of a Digital World
Whole Brain Decision Making
Receiving & Giving Feedback with Grace & Integrity
Mastery of Language – In listening more is less & in speaking less is more

11. LIVING CONSCIOUSLY Trust Trust Meditating Breathing Inner Joy
Receptiveness
Receptiveness
Trust
Trust
Awareness
without
Judgment
Acknowledge
Attune (Observe without Judgment)
Receptiveness
Breathing
Thoughts
Feelings
Behaviors
Meditating
Receptiveness
Speaking
Listening
Trust
Trust
Inner Joy
Stillness
Silence
Inner Peace
Allow
Acceptance
without
Judgment
Reflection
Prayer
Receptiveness
Receptiveness
Physical Well-Being
Trust
Trust
Apologize
Amend
Appreciate
Receptiveness
Receptiveness
Action Aligned with Divine Self
Trust
Trust
Integrity
Kindness
Respect
Serving
Giving
Forgiveness
Love/Compassion

12. Signs of Inner Peace & Joy
Ability to think, listen, speak and act from our true, divine self and our values rather than from fears, anxiety and guilt, based on past experiences, our emotions, our conditions and our circumstances
Ability to be fully present, in here an now, and enjoy each moment
Ability of being compassionate, caring and connected to others, life, nature & self
Ability to apologize, amend and take full responsibility for his/her actions
Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation at life, others and self
Contented feelings of connectedness with self, others & nature
Frequent genuine smiling
An increasing tendency to allow things to happen rather than make them happen
An increased susceptibility to love extended by others and the uncontrollable urge to extend it
Loss of interest to live in past or future
Loss of interest to compare, compete, criticize, condom, self & others
A loss of interest in judging, labeling & categorizing self & other people
A loss of interest in interpreting the actions & words of self and others
A loss of interest in conflict
A loss of ability to fear, worry or have anxiety
Loss of interest to express opinion, assumption, judgement………

13. TRAITS OF INSPIRED EMPLOYEES
ETHICAL INTEGRITY
Doing the right thing is top priority. To be counted on to live and act in accordance with our shared values, leads to being reliable.
OPEN AND RECEPTIVE
Open to new ideas and experiences.
FLEXIBLE
Able to adjust mindset and trying a different ways to do things.
Mastery of Language
Less is more: Listen with love and speak with respect
FOCUSED ON THE GREATER GOOD OF OTHERS, TEAM AND ORGANIZATION.
This involves a greater understanding of self in relation to connecting with others and communicating in a way that shows respect of self and others.
FREE TO GIVE AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK WITH GRACE AND INTEGRITY.
Able to take and make suggestions.
Understand others freedom to express
difference of opinions in constructive ways.
This involves an understanding that team members generate synergy that takes the team and the organization to new levels. This in turn leads to growth that takes the individual to new levels.
MANAGING SELF AND RELATIONSHIPS EFFECTIVELY WITH GRACE AND INTEGRITY.
FORGIVENESS
A gift to yourself and others

14. Ghasem’s Paradoxical Principles
Nothing is about me AND everything is about me
 When I go from here to there AND there is always here
 Law of inclusivity: Everyone, every time, everywhere, every situation
 Avoid duality and binary thinking
 Now is the only real time
 Every thought, emotion, word and action is energy and each has it’s own vibrational frequency
 What I have, like and want VS…….
 Who and how I want to be VS……..
 Simplify your simplicity
 Map your mind AND mind your map
 Conscience choosing based on our divine self and our values and VS…….
 Choose to remove yourself from the critic AND also from having thoughts about the critic and send silent blessings and love
Remove yourself from low energy frequency people, thoughts, situations with grace and respect
 Know…..AND being
I am……..AND I have…….
 Take time to save time

15. Ghasem’s Paradoxical Principles, Cont.
I choose being peace and joy than to be “right”
Make peace with what “is”
Accept and love people as who they are AND treat them as who they truly are (their true, divine self) 
How can you, I, we….. 
Would you be willing to…. 
Can we try….. 
I CHOOSE to……. 
The most powerful question is how can you………? 
Transcending our thoughts and our emotions VS repressing, denying or ignoring 
I have the will AND I don’t have the WILL 
I am significant AND I am insignificant 
Forgiveness is conscience choosing 
Daily awareness practices 
Silent presence 
Infinite patienceNotice…..AND focus
 In speaking less is more AND in listening more is less

16. “Accept your employees as who they are, and treat them as who they are meant to be and they are capable of becoming.“