How were you initially exposed to succession planning?

• I first heard about succession planning in graduate school through the master’s program within the University of Wisconsin Business School that had a focus on health system transformation and quality improvement.
• Within a class session on Lean methodology given by the CEO of Theda Care at the time, Dr. John Toussaint, who discussed lean and quality improvement topics and also spent extra time talking about the idea of succession planning in a way that I’d never heard of before, at least not in the way he talked about it. He discussed planning as far as the future of the organization and a part of that planning is “who are the next level leaders” and “who are the next people to take over once you the leave the organization?” I had never thought about the study of succession planning tied to quality improvement, but I remember that introduction sticking out and found it fascinating at the time.

How has succession planning played a role in your career journey? Can you share an experience/example?

• When joining Froedtert, I had the chance to work with a mentor, Jim Klauck, which is a crazy blessing to be able to work for a friend and a mentor. Jim was the first one to spend extra time with me to talk about succession planning and what it looked like in his mind, day-to-day. I had the opportunity to discuss succession planning with him during recurring (quarterly) mentor touchpoints. I would ask him regularly, “how does the organization look at succession planning?” “who is he being asked by to identify his successors for his role or other roles in pharmacy?”, “what other areas was he leading at the time?”
• As an example, in an executive level role at Froedtert our Board of Directors expects each official executive to have a list of three potential successors that would step in. The list should categorize the three individuals into three categories, and I’m asked every year to refresh that list. The Board wants to know is that person ready today or tomorrow to step in if needed or are they someone that would be ready in the next one to two years and if in this category. What are the couple of things they really need to work on to be ready to move from that one to two years to being ready for an executive role? The last category is the three-to-five-year window and what are the list of things that they need to do or to be developed to be ready.

Bonus question: how is that list visible across the organization?

• I’m expected to talk about the list with my boss, Jim, and those higher within the organization. Top level leaders or the CEO have visibility to all executive leader succession planning lists. The list is not shared amongst my peers at the Vice President level. The top level leaders are able to look across the organization to determine how to develop the team by identifying who are the individuals that are ready now or in one to two years. The focus becomes on getting those identified individuals the training and development they need for them to be ready. There is an organizational development team that works behind the scenes to curate that list and get those individuals the training and experiences they need to be ready. Within my team, I focus on their personal development plans to ready them.

What are some tools & resources you have utilized in your journey on successful succession planning?

• I’ve seen a variety of succession planning resources including very targeted succession planning documents. I use a more general succession planning approach focusing on more leader development. I would encourage leaders to look to their internal organizational development departments to see what succession planning strategies or tools exist. Succession planning is called different things at different organizations, but I would expect that there is a leadership development program available and would definitely encourage every leader to go and find out what’s there and what tools are available. Development starts with understanding ourselves and understanding who we are and how we are wired –our self-awareness. A lot of leadership development starts with a self-assessment. Whether it is using DISC or StrengthsFinder, I think those types of self-assessments or leadership competencies are helpful because they often bring forward good opportunities to work on. Most organizations have a list of leadership competencies they are looking for.
• Start by looking at organizational HR and internal resources and tools available. Evaluations are often tied to leadership competencies for all leaders. Using those in concert with other development tools to assess how you are doing on certain things or not performing well on certain leadership competencies, what are the classes or tools that we can use to help this person get connected to help them grow? This is often related to 360 evaluations, especially in executive coaching aspects. I’m going through my first true executive coaching session now where it’s the first time having a dedicated executive coach. There are many tools that are available. I would suggest starting by looking at internal organizational tools first before looking externally. Also, reach out to others and see what they are using and how they are using them.

What are some barriers or challenges you have experienced when implementing succession planning? Can you share an example?

• Succession planning is a wonderful idea and concept but there have been times where things may not go as planned when someone is targeting a specific role, and it doesn’t work out. From a lessons learned perspective, manage expectations of others well upfront. Succession planning is focused on “readying” or creating leaders but not promising a specific job or role at the end of the professional development process.
• Example 1: A team member is interested in a Clinical Manager role and asks for tasks for additional growth and development opportunities, once tasks are completed, there are no vacancies or openings for a Clinical Manager role. Need to manage expectations from the get-go, timing may not work out, things are dynamic.
• Example 2: A frontline team member is being developed for manager role but there are no manager roles available.
• Example 3: A pharmacy leader is interested in pursuing a Vice President role, completed the training and understanding needed to fulfill role, but there was no opportunity available at the time when they were ready, so they ended up leaving the organization for a different role.
• You can manage expectations by continuing to support and grow others and let them know that the opportunity might not be ready or available at the end of the process but still encourage them to keep growing.

What parting advice do you have for current or future pharmacy leaders when considering optimal strategies for succession in leadership roles?

• I would encourage leaders to invest in multiple people. You may have one specific person in mind as your successor or for a certain role and it’s great that you can see the best in them but as we all know, things are dynamic. Things change. That person might leave because of family. Things might come up. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I think we all want to invest in all of our leaders, especially high performers, those who are motivated and want to continue growing. At least from where I sit, I think that’s very important. As long as we keep investing and helping all of our leaders grow and find paths that they’re interested in that can set them up well, it can set us all up well for success. And remain flexible – you never know what’s going to change and when. As another example, there’s so much change going on in healthcare right now. Whether it’s downsizing and needing to get leaner or trimmer on staffing or leaders, or merger and acquisition activity, organizational structures keep changing. I’m in the middle of a merger right now and its dynamic, which makes me not want to be very focused on one plan because it may become obsolete based on other dynamics that I just don’t have insight into. So keep investing in all our leaders.

Interviewed by Mary Gilmer and Kofi Andoh