Staff
turnover is a fact of life – as much as you might want to use your wishful
thinking to make it go away.
Once
you have accepted that fact of life – now it is time to prepare for it. Here are some things you can do to be
prepared to successfully navigate the departure of key staff:
*Identify
possible successors – internally and externally. Even if your organization is not large enough
to groom successors within your organization, you can keep your eye out for
people outside it. This could include
sharp people you get to know within your community who are working elsewhere as
well as networking at industry conferences.
*Utilize
cross-training within your organization.
In all too many organizations, only one person knows how to do certain
tasks or processes. This is a bad idea
for many reasons. If it takes a long
time to replace a staff person you will be pleased that others can pitch in and
take over some of those responsibilities.
*Provide
professional development opportunities for staff at all levels. This helps build more resilience within the
organization and allows potential successors for top staff to develop
themselves.
It’s
a bummer to lose top staff, but it is a fact of life. And, in a lot of ways, it is a complement to
the organization when they can grow and fly on to more responsibilities in
other places. The more prepared you are
the better you can successfully transition to a new staff lineup and continue
making an effective Mission Impact.
For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your
organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at
www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com You
will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy
Workbook that you can download at no cost.
You can also check out my book, Mission Impact: Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and
buy it if you are interested. And you
can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.
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