With Sarah’s extensive work as an executive in key leadership roles as a foundation, she guides us through her experience of how proactive succession planning and thoughtful onboarding can focus and enhance work life. She details recommendations around leadership, retention, and succession planning strategy that every leader can implement today.
We know that employees’ needs have changed significantly over time, making intentionality critical when it comes to building teams and relationships with direct reports. One employment trend that has emerged is how often we change roles¹ – which research shows we do now more than ever. What happens when we openly acknowledge this and start having intentional conversations with employees around their intended tenure on our teams? Or when we ask about their career aspirations beyond their current role? How do we have these conversations and what are the benefits?
Having a candid conversation around career aspirations with direct reports has been a game changer in my relationships with them and their sense of ownership of their professional development, as well as organizational succession planning. Some team members have had a clear sense of where they’re headed, and others were still figuring out what they want long-term. Either way, the conversations have always been meaningful and positively impacted our working relationships and strategy for the team as a whole.
What happens when we openly acknowledge this and start having intentional conversations with employees around their intended tenure on our teams? Or when we ask about their career aspirations beyond their current role? How do we have these conversations and what are the benefits?
I have found it most beneficial to start these conversations early and to come back to them often. During onboarding, I’ll ask a new direct report what their career goals are, what they’re hoping to learn in this new role, and where the two align. I often ask what their career goals are during the interview process, so we usually already have a starting place to build on during onboarding conversations. I aim to get a sense of whether they hope to stay and grow within the organization and provide transparency about what current and future growth opportunities might be. Of course, our goals and desires evolve over time, which is why I continue to have these conversations at touchpoints over the course of our time working together.
These conversations can support your organization-wide succession planning while also normalizing conversations around current and future opportunities and areas for professional growth. Additionally, they may give you a better sense of when an employee may be considering departing the organization. Nonprofits engage in such essential, life-changing work that having a critical position vacant even for a short amount of time can at best slow the work down and at worst, have a significant impact on your team and the groups your nonprofit serves. Not to mention, an unplanned departure adds stress to teammates who absorb additional work due to the vacancy, which could negatively affect their experience at work, influencing satisfaction, retention, culture, and overall team dynamics.
Nonprofits engage in such essential, life-changing work that having a critical position vacant even for a short amount of time can at best slow the work down and at worst, have a significant impact on your team and the groups your nonprofit serves.
These conversations about a direct report’s career aspirations and how their current role on your team fits into their bigger picture can also help you create more enjoyable work experiences for them. It helps normalize conversations around strengths and areas for improvement, connect their personal career goals into their current position, and potentially create greater commitment to the work and your working relationship. Establishing this kind of communication can also ultimately bring more authenticity and transparency into the workplace. As a leader, you may find that better understanding each individual’s intended tenure timeline on your team helps you more effectively and strategically build pipelines and succession plan.
Relationships and job satisfaction are things that employees stick around for, and this is arguably one of the greatest benefits of having honest career trajectory conversations early and often. Investing in your team’s growth and planning for their departure are just two things that can help you build the stronger, more sustainable organizations that our present and future workforce demands. And while you’re at it – don’t forget to think about your career trajectory, too. Showing yourself the same consideration and engaging in thoughtful planning around your own role will help ensure that the workplace culture you’re building is working for you, too.
¹https://peoplepath.com/blog/employment-trends-by-generation-how-often-do-people-change-jobs/
Connect with us to inquire further or learn more about how Campbell & Company can help your organization with succession planning. Your questions are welcomed, and we look forward to collaborating with you.
About the Author
Sarah Beraki is currently Vice President at Campbell & Company, an award-winning firm of trusted advisors focused on equitable searches and transformational leadership. Her approach is human-centered, results-oriented, and she specializes in boosting individual and organizational performance through strategy and leadership development. She is a consultant, coach, and leader in executive search – placing top talent in the nation’s most vibrant, ever-evolving, mission-driven organizations.
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