HR Professional - June/July 2008 - (Page 43)

planning into the organization’s DNA. In the early stages of a career, development is all about growth and promotion. Implementing rigorous selection, development and performance management processes for new hires and ﬁrst-line supervisors lays the foundation for an organizational culture that treats succession planning as a must-do rather than a nice-to-do. “As leaders move into more complex roles, people who learned to equate development with opportunity will demand development plans and serious discussions about their future. They will also be more disciplined about providing the same for their teams and planning for their own succession,” says Swain. Time and money While succession-plan costs vary widely, expect to spend some money and effort, according to Charbonneau. “We’ve had clients hire full-time consultants at $100,000 to run the program because their HR people were too busy,” he says. Other costs could include training programs, time taken for coaching and mentoring, management development programs—if you take the route of having the incumbent and outgoing person sharing the job for a time, it can get very expensive. “Somebody has to manage the program, which can add a lot of work to someone’s role. Some companies will combine leadership and succession planning programs because they’re closely related, but that’s a full-time job for whoever’s heading it up,” says Charbonneau. Track progress “Assign clear accountability for leadership development and succession planning and track performance,” says Swain. “I’m regularly astonished by the amount of time and money some companies spend on developing leadership talent and running elaborate succession-planning processes, only to later ﬁnd critical gaps that should have been identiﬁed.” Sometimes this is because plan managers hide their real opinions. Or they send people to expensive programs with little thought about the ﬁt with either the leader’s or the business’s needs, he says. “Just as a plant manager couldn’t spend money on equipment without a clear business case, the same goes for investing in leadership talent. Someone needs to track results and change the approach if it’s not delivering.” w w w.H RThought L eader. c om More than of candidates falsify their resume Prevent frauds and manage risks while selecting the right people. As one of the most trusted pre-employment firms in Canada, we provide you with comprehensive reports to help you hire the right candidate. Our tailored exit interview program assists you in the management and retention of your best employees. 22% What we do: .: .: .: .: .: reference criminal and civil record credit scoring and bankruptcy diploma, accreditation driving record, immigration status, international security . : exit interview Contact us today, for a safer work environment: 416.915.9500 ext.3799 800.353.2049 ext. 3799 or infopreemployment@on.garda.ca gardaglobal.com Visit our new web site: J u n e / J u l y 2 0 0 8 43 http://www.garda.ca http://www.HRThoughtLeader.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Professional - June/July 2008

HR Professional - June/July 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Contributors Leadership Matters Upfront Legal Compensation The Broad Perspective Leading by Example On Message Strategy Talent Management HR 101 Case Study Interview with J.P. Pawliw-Fry Off the Shelf The Last Word HR Suppliers Guide 2008 Calendar of Events

HR Professional - June/July 2008

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