1. The Future of Your Department: Planning for Tomorrow Chris Nunes, CPRE- The Woodlands Township, Texas Massachusetts Parks and Recreation Association Annual Conference, Hyannis MA

2. Before we start……… Why are you at this session? What does succession planning mean to you/your agency?

3. Describe the need for and the tools to implement a succession plan Identify competencies needed for parks and recreation professionals Discuss ideas for employee development to implement in their own agencies Session Objectives

4. Session Overview What is Succession Planning? Need for Succession Planning Succession Plan Steps –Understand Development needs –Identify Potential Successors –Develop and Train Successors –Promote and Compensate

5. Succession Plan Why Isn’t Succession Planning More Common? –Time consuming –Important, but not urgent –No immediate results –Resistance from managers and directors (threatened) –Political instability –Mentality that employees are short-term

6. Succession Plan Why Succession Planning SHOULD be a Common Practice –Turnover will always create vacancies –High preforming employees will seek more attractive opportunities –Limited talent pool –Opportunity to identify potential leaders and groom them for advancement/Build bench strength –Generational issues between workforce –Helps the organization prepare for the future

7. Succession Plan Succession Planning Defined: Identifying and preparing suitable employees through training and mentoring to assume key positions within the organization. Find them, train them, mentor them, and keep them……..

8. Need for Succession Planning Retirement –83 million boomers 1946-1964 –90 million boomers by 2025 –30-50% of seasoned professionals ready to retire Economy 60% of companies don’t know what they will do about this-YIKES!!

9. Need for Succession Planning Generation X –35-44 years old –64 million strong but smaller than the Baby Boomers –Void of knowledge, leadership, skills, and abilities. Generation Y-Double the size of Generation X Where do you focus the time and effort?

10. Why people leave? –53% seek better compensation and benefits. –35% cited dissatisfaction with potential career development. –32% said they were ready for a new experience. Need for Succession Planning

11. Succession Plan Why Plan? –Identify expected vacancies –Prevent knowledge drain –Preparation for new leadership –Identify workforce development needs –Ready to fill vacated positions without wasting resources

12. Succession Plan Succession Plans Long-term: 12-36 months Focus on future leadership Develops leaders capable of filling multiple assignments Replacement Plans Short term: 0-12 months Focus on immediate needs Develops back-up staff for key positions

13. Goals of a Succession Plan –Improved retention and employee satisfaction –Enhanced commitment of exceptional employees –Stronger organization/long term sustainability –Organization can efficiently and effectively function during a search –Assures continuity & a strong organization for a new employee Succession Plan

14. Succession Planning Steps  Step 1- Understand Development needs  Step 2- Identify Potential Successors  Step 3- Develop and Train Successors  Step 4- Promote and Compensate

15. Understand Development Needs Map out competencies and needs of organization Assess competency gap (organizations and individuals) based on mission, vision and values of organization

16. Competencies –Skills - abilities required to perform the position –Knowledge – information required for the position –Characteristics – attitudes, personality factors or mental traits needed Understand Development Needs

17. Model for Effective Performance The individual’s competencies The job’s demands The organizational environment Effective specific actions or behaviors BALANCE Boyatzis (1982) Understand Development Needs

18. Understanding Competencies Will Provide For? –Efficiency & Effectiveness –Clarifying effective performance requirements –Align skills with strategic direction –Help organization become “lean & mean” –Hire right people –Predict success of employee Understand Development Needs

19. Understand Development Needs Job skills - Hard skills Strategic thinking Financial Resource Management Human Resources Planning Characteristics - soft skills Customer Service Interpersonal skills Creativity/Innovation People Management

20. Job Skills Characteristics Entr y Lev el CEO Understand Development Needs Assess the competency gap Middle Mgmt.

21. Common Competencies –Communication skills –Customer service –Leadership & management principles –Creativity & innovation –Multi-tasking & time management –Flexible, adaptable, innovative, creative –Solve problems & make decisions –Networking –Comprehensive knowledge of the field 25 common competencies Understand Development Needs

22. Understand Development Needs

23. Develop a success profile for key position’s in the organization –What competencies are critical for each position? –Select 2-3 people per position to develop Understand Development Needs Only 10% focus on positions below executive level – www.successionplanning101.com

24. What type of people are we looking for? –Do I have the right people already in the organization? –Are these people in the “right seats”? –Are these people committed to the mission? –Revert back to the success profile. Identify Potential Successors Focus beyond just high performers!!!!

25. GenerationAgesAttributesLearning Styles Training Style Management Style SilentBorn before 1946 (62-83) Like hierarchy and order Comfortable with direct leadership Willing to climb the ladder patiently Difficult to adjust to change Auditory Data Monologue Classroom Formal Quite Control Authority Thinkers Baby Boomers1946- 1964 (43-61) Believe in value of hard work Value democratic work environment View work groups as social groups Seek to change institutions Visual Metaphors Dialogue Roundtable Relaxed Planned Cooperation Competency Doers Generation X1965-1977 (30-42) Want to be cutting edge Willing to break the rules Adaptive to change and new technology Kinesthetic Sensory Stories Unplanned Spontaneous Interactive Consensus Creativity Feelers Generation Y1978-1990 (18-29) Instant Generation Tech Savvy Limited employee loyalty Upward mobility- no wait Cynicism towards organizations Value input, feedback and mentoring Kinesthetic Sensory Stories Unplanned Spontaneous Interactive Consensus Creativity Feelers Identify Potential Successors

26. Successor Trails –Soft and Hard Skills –Task-and results-oriented –Possesses people skills –Knows how to build relationships –Self-esteem –Personal confidence –Willingness to learn/change Identify Potential Successors What the previous director, superintendent, supervisor, coordinator was……..may or may not be what you need…….

27. Where do I find them? –Home agency –Within City/County/Commission –Internships –Neighboring Agency/City –Non Profit’s (YMCA/JCC, Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitor Bureau) –Program participants –For profit agencies –Other???? Identify Potential Successors

28. Identify Potential Successors Advantages Provides rewards and incentives for great employees Cost effective Morale-boosting Institutional knowledge Disadvantages Organizational inbreeding Possible infighting or jockeying for position Heavy load on training and development Internal vs External Candidates????? Partially from Martinez-Purson, 2006

29. Identify Potential Successors HiPo’s are people who have not hit a career plateau are capable of advancing two or more levels in the profession and exceed minimum job expectations. What are their Pro’s and Con’s? What are HiPo’s??

30. Develop & Train Successors Systematic effort “Grow your own” Exposure beyond division Start early -On boarding and orientation Hire for next position Peter Principle/Halo and Horns

31. Develop & Train Successors

32. Orientation Packet

33. Develop and Train Successors Simple Methods –Lead by Example –Provide them time –Ask questions to staff to develop them –Provide timely and honest feedback Hire tough –Never lower standards just to fill a position! –Interview process Panel Group Staff

34. Tools of the Trade- –Performance Reviews –Development Plan –Conference Plan –Mentoring Professional Development –Develop your own –Benchmarking skills –Assessing the competency gap Hiring criteria & employee selection –Tough interviews –Who is involved with the selection??? Develop & Train Successors Overall, create an organizational learning culture

35. Develop & Train Successors Performance Reviews –360 review –Honesty –Professional Goal Setting –Ability to identity weakness, strengths, abilities, etc –Outcome can be a professional development plan

36. Develop & Train Successors

38. Conference Plan Develop & Train Successors Creating an organizational learning culture

39. Develop & Train Successors Mentoring/Coaching –Formal or informal, same or different organizations –Builds organizational loyalty –Customized “on the job” development –Inexpensive – primarily “soft costs” –NRPA Young Professionals/Administrator

40. Develop & Train Successors

41. Develop and Train Successors Lunch and Learn –Able to build knowledge and common understanding within an organization –Offered to all employees –Leadership Topics Leadership, Communication, Decision Making –Job Interview Skills Resume, Interview, Cover Letter

42. Develop and Train Successors Hire tough –Never lower standards just to fill a position! –Be willing to wait time to get your candidate –Interview process Panel Group Staff Site Visits

43. Promote & Compensate How to retain exceptional employee’s –Competitive salaries –Competitive vacation and holidays –Tuition reimbursement –Positive environment –Enable a balance of work & life Phased in retirements Flexible work schedules

44. Promote & Compensate Retaining exceptional employees –Provide feedback –Recognize success –Provide opportunities to be creative, express initiative and make a difference –Reputation breeds retention –Provide the tools needed to do the job Prepare them for advancement –Provide information & knowledge –Mentoring

45. Final Thoughts!!! What are you doing? (Standiford, 2004)

46. Final Thoughts!!! Model staff development by developing yourself! –Get out of your comfort zone –Read 10 minutes a day –Listen to people –Set specific goals for yourself and your team –Stay positive –Give back—your legacy is what you leave with others (Standiford, 2004)

47. Final Thoughts!!! Thank You!!!! Chris Nunes, CPRE, Ph.D. Director of Parks and Recreation The Woodlands Township 2801 Technology Forest Blvd The Woodlands, TX 77381 cnunes@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov 281.210.3906