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Emergency Succession
Plan Outline
Background:
When organizational change happens there is risk involved. This risk takes many forms, which may
include uncertainty about what the change means, confusion about how to manage the change,
loss of confidence and moral among staff and stakeholders, and other challenges.
An Emergency Succession Plan can help organizations manage the risk associated with leadership
change. Change can be made more manageable by taking time in advance to think through
different leadership change scenarios, developing competency among the staff and board to
respond to change, and putting supportive practices in place.
Emergency Succession Plan:
Executive Dir., President or CEO Position
I.
Rationale
II.
Plan Implementation Authority
III.
Priority Functions of the Executive Director
• Temporary Staffing Strategy (In Executive Director Absence)
IV.
Succession plan in the event of a temporary, planned or unplanned absence - Short-Term
• Definition
• Temporary Staffing Strategy
• Appointing an Acting Executive Director
• Standing Appointees to the Position of Acting Executive Director
• Cross-Training Plan
• Authority and Restrictions of the Acting Executive Director
• Compensation
• Board Oversight and Support to the Acting Executive Director
• Communications Plan
V.
Succession plan in the event of a temporary, unplanned absence - Long-Term
• Definition
• Procedures (different or in addition to short-term absence)
VI.
Succession plan in the event of a permanent unplanned absence
• Definition
• Procedures
• Hiring an Interim Executive Director (different or in addition to short-term absence)
• Responsibilities of an Interim Executive Director
• Board Oversight and Support to the Interim Executive Director
Leadership Transitions
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VII.
Approvals and Maintenance of Record
• Emergency Succession Plan Approval
• Signatori