Succession planning is a critical step colleges and universities can take to maintain quality and direction for generations to come. Many institutions can be more strategic about how they pick successors to key leadership posts, says Cheryl Hyatt, a partner at executive talent search agency Hyatt-Fennell.
“I’ve worked with a lot of presidents over the years, but I can probably count on two hands the number that are willing to coach fellow colleagues and talk about succession planning.”
Hyatt has distilled her nearly 20 years of experience as a succession planning consultant for higher education into three main ideas.
Cast a strategic vision built on collaboration
A crucial component of leadership is undergirding one’s vision with the feedback received from staff and colleagues.
“When you’re working with others, you’re working as a team,” Hyatt says. “As a result, you want to make sure staff can see themselves as part of your vision and capable of helping you grow the institution.”
Leadership initiatives that reflect input from colleagues help promote a sense of agency in members of the organization. This can potentially help some staff better envision themselves at higher rungs of their organization.
Listening to colleagues is a skill leaders should apply throughout their entire career, Hyatt says. “There’s always a better way of doing things, and it begins by being open to others’ ideas.”
Share authority
Handing aspects of one’s workload off to direct reports is arguably the most difficult component on this list for several reasons. Chief among them is the courage it takes to relinquish one’s responsibilities for the benefit of the organization, Hyatt says.
“Mentoring staff or colleagues can help develop someone into a role that is better than you,” she says. “You shouldn’t be intimidated by that because that’s the anticipated hope.”
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Leaders looking to elevate a colleague should start by assigning them a low-stakes task. This will allow the leader to focus on weightier matters while slowly evaluating the staff member’s ability to take on more authority.
Staff members of small private colleges and universities should pay particular attention. Their institutions are the most prone to merging, being acquired or partnering with other institutions in light of declining revenue, Hyatt says.
“Staff can be afraid of losing their independence, but I think there’s room for conversations on how succession planning can not only ensure their success but also the success of the students.”
Everyone plays a part in succession planning
All campus leaders—from the president to college deans—should be on the lookout for staff interested in taking on more responsibility, Hyatt says.
“There are people out there who don’t want to move up, and that’s perfectly fine; it’s a lot of responsibility. However, there needs to be people who recognize emerging talent and say, ‘OK, let me tell you how you can help.'”
There are two important ways Hyatt sees leaders grooming colleagues today. One is by inviting direct reports to conferences to provide additional one-on-one training. Another is by encouraging them to join a board or committee at the institution.
“In years past, there used to be more of a downtime during the summer to focus on succession planning, but leading a college or university now is a year-round process,” Hyatt says.
