Education
Step By Step Guide To Succession Planning In Schools
Choosing a successor who will keep up both the ethical and functional legacy of your beloved institution is an uphill task. When the time will come for you to let go of the institution that you have nourished with your expertise, you will only settle for a successor that you believe in.
Throughout history, apprenticeship was the way to initiate someone in a common craft. The aristocrats and the class of philosophers or erstwhile educators chose their successors and groomed them for the takeover. This grooming consisted of the essential theoretical, practical knowledge along with the development of decision-making skills.
Modern succession management is not different from the ancient one and yet it has its own ground rules that need to be followed. The ideal successor should have some of the common qualities such as eagerness to learn and grow, a great intuition, honour, assimilation, innovation, an open mind and the ability to help others grow, as well.
In a school setting, for example, if the current Principal is looking for a candidate to take over, it’s usually the Vice-Principal who comes to the mind. That’s because if the successor is a part of the current family and has dedicated a substantial portion of his/her life to the institution, it becomes appropriate to be in the position of authority. On the other hand, a new person who is not fully aware of the mechanics of the school might take a considerable amount of time to get in line with the ethos.
So, how can a predecessor pass on his/her years-old experience to the probable successor efficiently? Here’s Scoonews’ School Leader’s Guide to effective ways of succession planning through collaboration in activities and concise lessons.
ASSESSMENT & DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS
The leader of the school must have some essential knowledge of the potential candidate’s skill sets that will enable him/her to fulfil the duties properly. We have shared certain parameters that will enable a thorough assessment of the current abilities.
Communication
It goes without saying that strong communication skills are essential for a school leader to run the administrative machinery well and to convey his/her ideas to the stakeholders in a transparent manner.
Empathy
Without that extrasensory ability to understand how others feel, one will not be able to make positive decisions that will directly affect the innocent souls during their most impressionable stage.
Leadership Management
It is essential for this person not only to be a good leader but to bring out the best in subordinates and prepare them for future leadership roles in their respective departments.
Vision
With the ever-changing dynamics of global education trends, the ultimate authority of the school must be visionary enough to keep his/her school at par with the global trends and also produce original ideas for continuous progress.
Knowledge About Child and Adolescence Psychology
The Principal must have an expert grip over psychology to make decisions that are in line with the cognitive development of children up to K12. This is an essential prerequisite for a prospective candidate.
Legal and Budgeting Knowledge
By promoting and practising healthy budgetary and legal mechanisms, the overall administration of the school will run smoothly and will keep issues arising out of these two domains at bay.
PROVIDING THE REQUIRED SKILL SETS
Once a thorough assessment is made of the section of knowledge and skills that need to be upgraded, training should commence. The lack of knowledge or prior experience in the sections should not be a factor if the candidate is worthy. The training should be planned on how each section must be dealt with and that by the time one has to hand over the charge, the candidate is equally reliable as himself/herself.
INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION-MAKING
No great leader ever walked the earth without excellent decision-making skills. Imparting the knowledge of effective decision-making requires exposure to practical situations as it may involve taking risky commitments or unpleasant decisions.
When the situation will call for immediate and effective decision-making, only past experience comes to rescue. Involving your subordinates in the process from the beginning is what will prepare them to take the call in the future.
BEING OPEN
An amplified way of communication that provides a good hold of the progress of both the parties involved in imparting and receiving guidance is to speak with openness. The responsibility of creating such culture lies on the shoulders of the instructor as the receiver might find it uncomfortable to have an open conversation in the presence of the current authority. Also, while communicating with a subordinate, one must try to build an environment of openness, so that no words remain unspoken.
FEEDBACK
How can the progress of any task be quantified without constant feedback? Both the instructor and the pupil are encouraged to keep providing constant feedback to one another so that they are aware of each other's shortcomings during the training process.