Comments on: Why Succession Plans Fail

By: Bart Breen

Bart Breen — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Good points Phil.

Naming a successor and trying to remain on the scene and in control creates an environment for conflict, confusionally and divided loyalties.

There's a reason why monarchies in the past used the term, "The King is dead. Long live the King!!" If a new "King or Queen" is to succeed, the old one muxst be gone, if not literally than positionally. Move on, physically, psychologically, positionally, organizationally, and personally.

By: Jarrod Skeggs

Jarrod Skeggs — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This entry is both interesting and timely for me and for our church. Our Senior Pastor, now age 60, recently announced that our Associate Pastor (Senior Pastor's Son-in-law), will take over as Senior Pastor effective 01.01.2009. I think the the transition will be made, but I do wonder how much real authority will be passed on at the time of the transition. The current Senior Pastor made it very clear that he would still be on staff as an advisor and wouldn't be "going away" any time soon. I think the family affiliation will probably make it harder to for the Associate to make a decision that is perhaps contrary to the Senior's advice.

I suppose only time will tell. Anyone got any thoughts about this?

By: Rick Morrison

Rick Morrison — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

…what is your succession plan?

By: Will Stern

Will Stern — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Bart, I'm gonna have to disagree with you on the division part. I believe the transition disasters are due to a lack of a fathering heart in the elder leader, not to the fact that he stayed. I think a transition with a TRUE father will be twice as likely to succeed as a transition without one.

4 Years ago, the handwriting was on the wall that my brother (27 at the time) would be the next pastor of our growing church, so my current pastor (my dad) didn't wait around until he died to transition things, he stayed on staff and co-pastored the lead position with him. 2 years ago, he transitioned it over to him as the lead pastor and still stayed on staff as a Father presence. What happened? Things flew forward!

Although there are a lot of attributes as to why things have been incredible, here are some main ones:

- The old pastor was willing to let go of the control reins and let necessary things change. (a leader willing to transition from 1st chair to 2nd chair..that's rare!)

- There was a strong "older" leader presence to rally the existing people under the new leader

- In times of difficulty, the house and the staff never lacked a "father's voice"

By: Bart Breen

Bart Breen — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks Will.

I'm not saying it couldn't be done, but i would tend to think it would be the exception rather than the rule. If there were healthy and well understood boundaries and especially if the founder/father were very deliberate and intentional about not allowing themselves to appear as anything but supportive of the change and the new leadership I could see it happening.

General rules and observations though would tend to indicate that a clean break in most cases would have a better track record.

I wonder if there are any good studies out there on the subject that have quantified this issue?

By: Will Stern

Will Stern — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is very true. I guess most successions don't take place because of the founder's heart to release the next generation, they happen because the founder cannot lead any more and is forced to start empowering others.

I definitely agree that it is VERY rare for a senior leader to follow the: [Do it with them watching>do it together>have them do it with you watching>empower them do it on their own] type of leadership structure.