We are one week down with our current Professional Development Day circuit. I have been excited to meet and see so many Assistant Managers and coordinators attending our workshops.
Our research shows that 2 out of every 5 Village Managers will not be in their role in 3 years time.
If there are 2,000 Village Managers in the country, that is 400 roles that need to be filled in the next 24 months.
Therefore 400 people who know your residents, and know their stories, and know your assets, who are leaving.
The attendance of the ‘next’ Village Managers attending our events demonstrates that some operators understand the need to create a career pathway and nurture talent into these critical roles.
In talking with these future professionals, I found they let their manager know of their ambition during their recent annual performance reviews. We have written about this process previously. Its an important part of nurturing and retaining talent.
These are the employees working at the coalface of villages, who have interactions with residents every day, and who have put their hand up to say they want to be at the helm when the opportunity comes along.
And it’s coming.
DCM Institutes Tips for Succession Planning
- Start Early: Succession planning should be a continuous process, not a reactive one. Identify potential future leaders and high-potential employees well in advance. This gives them time to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for their future roles.
- Identify Key Positions: Not all positions are equally critical to success. A Village Manager’s is the most critical. Identify key leadership positions that have a significant impact on the business. Focus your succession planning efforts on these roles to ensure a seamless transition.
- Assess Skills and Potential: Regularly assess the skills, competencies, and potential of your employees. Look to have a training needs analysis developed and part of performance reviews, assessments, and feedback to determine who has the potential to take on leadership roles. Look beyond just technical skills to include qualities like adaptability, communication, and strategic thinking.
- Provide Development Opportunities: Offer training, mentoring, and development programs to groom potential successors. Assign them to cross-functional projects, leadership workshops, and stretch assignments that will challenge and enhance their skills.
- Create Individual Development Plans: Work with potential successors to create individualized development plans that outline their career goals and the steps needed to achieve them. These plans should include skill development, exposure to different aspects of the business, and opportunities for networking.