Review the Plan Annually
Review Your Plan Annually
We have come to the end of the Succession Planning module. Now that you have invested so much effort into your succession planning, it is important that your agency conduct an annual review of the succession plan. You should also review and update theEmergency Succession Plan, which is Step 3 (Develop Key Documents) of this module. Revisit and update as necessary the Organization Information and Capacity Survey that we explored in Step 9 (Assess the Capacity of Your Agency).
Remember, as well, to consider and include succession planning as the organization completes any strategic planning activities. Undergoing some form of strategic planning helps the agency continually improve its services and efficiency. A very important part of this should be to make sure that a solid succession plan is in place.
The following tools will help you with these annual review activities.
Annual Succession Plan Checklist
The following checklist will help to ensure that your organization is on track. Use the checklist to determine if any documentation or component of the Succession Plan, Emergency Succession Plan or Organization Information and Capacity Survey need to be updated.
Readiness Elements
☐ Board and top management staff are familiar with and understand the succession plan
☐ Current staff are familiar with and understand the succession plan
Major Components
☐ An emergency succession plan has been developed (see Sample Emergency Succession Plan Template)
☐ Gaps in current knowledge and skills have been identified. The plan incorporates the development or recruitment of skills that have been identified in a gap analysis.
☐ Where appropriate, current staff are developing skills needed to ensure successful planned transitions that are part of the succession plan. This could include an ongoing coaching or mentoring program.
☐ A strategic organizational plan exists and incorporates/validates the succession plan
Supporting Organizational Elements
☐ All organizational documentation is on hand in a central and accessible location
☐ Policies and procedures are up-to-date
☐ Organizational commitments are kept in an up-to-date central calendar
☐ Contractual obligations are documented and have been met
☐ The board contact list is up-to-date
☐ An updated capital inventory record is available
☐ The accounting system is up-to-date and accessible
☐ Financial information is documented properly (e.g., banking and investment information)
☐ Proper insurance policies are in place
☐ Data loss prevention is practiced
☐ Staff are evaluated annually
Organizational Strategic Planning Survey
Succession Planning should become part of your agency’s strategic planning process. The following questions will help you plan for the agency’s future.
- What do you see as the organization’s strengths (in terms of operations/management and/or programming)?
- What do you see as the organization’s weaknesses and gaps?
- What opportunities do you think exist, that if seized upon, will enhance the organization’s ability to accomplish its mission and goals?
- What roadblocks or challenges might arise in the future that will hinder the organization’s ability to accomplish its mission and goals?
- What do you think this literacy organization should accomplish in the next three to five years? (Succession planning should be included here if you haven’t already started!)
- What is it going to take to accomplish this?
It is recommended that you set aside time for any updates to the Succession Plan, Emergency Succession Plan or Organization Information and Capacity Survey to happen as soon as possible. This annual review will ensure that your plan remains current and that you are prepared for the expected and for the unexpected!
In Conclusion
This brings us to the end of our self-study training module on succession planning in literacy agencies.
We hope that this module has been useful to you and that it will provide you with a practical process and many helpful resources to begin or enhance succession planning in your agency.
