What Time It Is

I probably don’t have to tell you this, but right now we are seeing a crisis play out on the national political stage due to poor succession planning; the issue of leadership succession and its intergenerational ramifications were not dealt with before it reached a boiling point. And that boiling point became apparent at the first presidential debate.

My objective is not to provide answers to political questions—I am unqualified! But I do want to ask questions about how these issues impact each of us in the organizations we serve.

There are two lenses to look through when it comes to succession planning:

1.The leader who ideally turns over the reins to the next generation on their own volition, and

2. The younger generation called on to help the leader see what they cannot see themselves.

Today, I’m going to focus on the leader.

All leaders, including leaders in training, need to build the consciousness that nothing lasts forever. There will come a time when we will move beyond the kind of professional service we provide today to a perhaps more meaningful one in the future.

But how will I know when it’s time aside?

Paul Irving in his Harvard Business Review article entitled “Should an Aging Leader Step Aside?” makes it abundantly clear that chronological age alone is not a criteria for retiring a leader. It’s discriminatory—ageist. What matters is the leader’s physical and cognitive health: Competence, capability, and productivity.

According to Irving, here are some questions a good leader asks.

Am I the leader I used to be?

Do I have the same drive?

Are my skill sets relevant to the challenges of the future?

Rather than leading a transition, do I want to have the keys taken away?

It takes serious self-reflection to answer these questions. It also takes a meaningful relationship with multigenerational teams that do what they do best—provide a range of perspectives. Not all perspectives will be welcome, but a good leader knows that doesn’t make them less valid.

The reason I am so passionate about the Gentelligence movement is this: when leaders build a foundation of trust and respectful communication between employees of all ages now, preparing for big transitions in the future doesn’t have to be an emergency.

So—How will you finish strong and go out on top?

Don’t isolate. Make sure your experience, knowledge and wisdom is being shared both formally and informally. Know that younger generations chose to work for you because they respect your accomplishments and they want to be part of your legacy. Be the leader who served the greater good and their own legacy as well.

The latest breaking news demonstrates that passing the torch can be perceived as the ultimate act of patriotism, humility, and wisdom.

More soon, 

Mary Cooney