ORIGINAL RESEARCH PRESENTED AT THE AMC ANNUAL CONFERNECE: ANDY BURMEISTER DECEMBER 8, 2014

Transcription

1 Lessons Learned: Barriers, Tools, Strategies, and Techniques in Relation to the Development and Implementation of County-Wide Succession Plans in Minnesota Counties 1 ORIGINAL RESEARCH PRESENTED AT THE AMC ANNUAL CONFERNECE: ANDY BURMEISTER DECEMBER 8, 2014

2 STUDY PURPOSE 2 The purpose of this study is to examine what effect workforce characteristics, available resources, and county attributes have on the techniques and methods employed by Minnesota Counties to plan for succession in advance of the retirement of public managers?

3 What Is Succession Planning/Implementation? At times it can be difficult to define Simplistically, Planning is: Identification of individuals with the skillset to replace retiring mid-level and upper-level managers Identified steps that can be taken to ease the transition from one leader to the next. Simplistically, Implementation is: 3 How to take identified steps and put them into practice within the organization.

4 INTRODUCTION WHY CARE SHOULD WE CARE? Generation of Retiring Employees who: Administer Public Programs Maintain say in Direction of Organization Run the Day to Day Operations Interest from county leadership 4 WHAT DOES THIS RESEARCH SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH? Identify Barriers Identify Opportunities Identify Practical Tools Identify Gap in Research Identify Opportunities and Techniques for future Research Identify Best Practices among and for Minnesota s Counties

5 EXISTING STUDIES Aging Workforce (Dohm, 2007) 5 Challenges: Economic, social, demographic, outsourcing, downsizing, hiring freezes, and budget cuts (Jarrell and Pewitt, 2007) Barriers: Lack of skills, understanding, reluctance (Pynes, 2004). Important Components: Planning, selection and training of staff, sustainability, analysis, financial resources (Jarrell and Pewitt, 2007) Best Practices: Remember the past (Schall, 1997), Development opportunities (Benst, 2004), Successive steps (Ibarra, 2005), Evaluation of Competencies (Kiyonaga, 2004), Talent Management (Green, 2004)

6 DATA Sample Size: 87 Minnesota Counties Sources: Census Bureau, Public County Websites, County Employees Units of Analysis: County Variables: Number of employees, number of retirees, age, land mass General Questions: Workforce Characteristics? Succession Plan? Barriers? Tools? Techniques? 6

7 Qualitative Methods SURVEY METHODS open-ended survey to 87 Counties County Managers, Human Resource Directors, Selected Department Heads Three point rating Scale Follow up open ended interviews with some respondents who indicate willingness Quantitative Methods Census Data County Public Websites County population, average age in years, percent of nonwhite population, median income, percentage below the federal poverty line. 7

8 METHODS: DATA USE/ANALYSIS Data Collection: Survey Monkey 8 Analysis: Begin by looking at percentage of Counties that perceive they do or do not participate in succession planning and implementation Tables: Will is utilized to assist in analysis and presentation of data

9 METHODS: SURVEY QUESTIONS 9 What position do you hold in the County? How many full time employees? How many forecasted retirements? County-wide systematic plan for changes in leadership? To what extent does the County engage in Succession Planning? What typical positions would oversee succession planning? What tools are present in your efforts? What barriers are present in your efforts? What specific elements are included in your efforts? Open to follow up contact by phone or ?

10 DATA: BARRIERS Table 3: Barriers to Succession Planning 10 ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES Underestimation of Risks 26.23% -- (16) Underestimation of Costs 18.03% -- (11) Few Incentives for Succession Planning Efforts 36.07% -- (22) Beyond the Scope of Work for Staff 26.23% -- (16) Few Identified Successors 40.98% -- (25) Too Busy 65.57% -- (40) Confusion of Succession Planning Exists 24.59% -- (15) Internal Political Struggles 52.46% -- (32) Information Constraints related to Best Practices of Succession Planning 16.39% -- (10) Not Applicable 8.20% -- (5) Total Responses: 61

11 DATA: TOOLS/STRATEGIES 11 Table 2: Tools, Strategies, Techniques ANSWER CHOICES RESPONSES Mentoring Programs 31.25% -- (15) Training Programs 58.33% -- (28) Workshops 33.33% -- (16) Engagement in Associations who Discuss Succession Planning 35.24% -- (17) Encouragement of Career Development 58.33% -- (28) Utilization of Outside Succession Planning Consultants 10.24% -- (5) Internal Task Forces 16.67% -- (8) Total Responses: 48

12 DATA: IDENTIFIED TOOLS 12 Enhancement of organizational leadership development opportunities in the County. Provide opportunities for new supervisor to work alongside staff retirees in a collaborative manner. Opportunities for County leaders to coach other leaders on the leadership development plan. Provide more opportunities for staff to train in other parts of the organization. Determine how many employees are eligible for full retirement in the coming years. Consider whether departmental reorganization may be a strategy for the County. Consider full organizational redesign opportunities which might result from retirements. Consider an in-house leadership program.

13 CONCLUSION For the most part, Minnesota Counties are not engaging in county-wide, systematic succession planning 13 A strong interest among County employees to advance county-wide succession planning efforts. Significant Barriers to succession planning exist Some tools are currently being utilized by Minnesota Counties and could be utilized by other Counties.

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15 START PLANNING YESTERDAY EVERYONE IS GOING OUT THE DOOR. I WAS ON THE HUNT EVERY DAY!

16 GROW YOUR OWN EMERGING TALENT SINK OR SWIM (ALMOST)

17 PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE GET THE NEXT GENERATION IN FRONT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMISSIONS, ETC. LEARN TO SPEAK; LEARN TO UNDERSTAND THEM.

18 INCLUDE THEM IN DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS, OTHER CRITICAL SESSIONS THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW ALL THE PIECES FIT

19 GIVE THEM CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENTS IT WILL HELP THEM GROW IT WILL HELP DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS PUSH THEM!

20 SET THE STAGE, CONSTANTLY WHAT IS GOING ON. WHAT IS OUR STRATEGY. DEBRIEF. (THIS IS WHERE THE REA LEARNING OCCURS)

21 WORK AGGRESSIVELY ON DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY THE NEXT WORK FORCE IS NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE ME

22 THE OAKDALE PARADIGM: KEEP THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST AS DEPARTMENT HEADS. DEVELOP OUTSTANDING TALENT ON THE NEXT LEVEL WITH EMERGING STAFF.

23 DON T BE AFRAID OF THE BOOMERANG IT CAN WORK!

24 BECOME AN EXTREME LEARNING ORGANIZATION PUSH FOR AND PAY FOR THE NEXT DEGREE. DO BROWN BAGS, MIND BENDERS, ETC.

25 DON T BECOME WEARY IF YOU CAN T HOLD THE TALENT YOU ARE DOING YOUR PART FOR THE PROFESSION

26 THE PITFALL: A SMALL CITY DOES NOT HAVE LARGE DEPARTMENTS THAT ALLOW FOR REAL SUCCESSION. I CHEATED BY GRABBING RAW TALENT FROM THE CLASSROOM.