My approach to succession planning emphasizes change, openness and flexibility. My process is designed to help clients achieve clarity on their succession priorities by providing ideas, information and support. My objective is to do what it takes to move clients forward.
The Succession Bridge process consists of a four step sequence:
Define Goals: explore client’s succession goals. Are the declared needs consistent and achievable? What alternatives exist? Will the focus be ‘internal’, as when selling to family, or ‘external’ as in selling to a 3rd party? Is there any business or family issues needing resolution? Define the deliverables, scope and budget in an Outline Proposal for approval by the prospective client.
Discover Alternatives: familiarize with the culture, history and industry position of the business, and consider findings in context of client’s stated succession motives and goals. Discuss potential hurdles and resource needs, and then develop ideas and approaches to deal with these challenges. Identify key risks as well as possible options and alternatives.
Integrate Learning: develop proposed succession framework and process, then communicate and test the framework or process with key stakeholders. Act to facilitate dialogue and reconcile differences and make known possible options and alternatives, and relative trade-offs. Establish the steps needed to put the plan or process into action.
Implement Process: begin implementation of the agreed ownership succession process and framework. Integrate key learning’s from Implementation phase and continue to refine the process. Adjust course as necessary, recognizing and reconciling necessary tradeoffs to realize succession objectives and deliverables.
