Chap 4

Chap # 4 Assessing Your Organization
Succession planning can be defined as a process of selecting and

grooming employees for higher positions within the organization. It
enhances the organizational capability by providing experienced and
competent individuals for senior level roles that are critical for the
company.
The various objectives of succession planning are:
i. To create organizational data that can be used for staffing decisions.
ii. To identify employees with high potential so that they can be trained
to undertake higher responsibility
iii. To provide assignments and opportunities for high potential
employees so that they get the necessary exposure to groom themselves
iv. To involve senior leaders of the organization in grooming these
identified employees
v. To improve employee loyalty and engagement
Some of the important activities of succession planning are described as
under:
1. Top management support – HR manager along with heads of the

departments should discuss the plan and obtain support from top
management for initiating succession planning activities.
2. Identifying potential successors for critical positions based on

consistent performance over a period of time. This information can be
collected from performance appraisal forms, feedback from senior
managers and extensive assessment centre programmes.
A Replacement Chart is prepared and it gives the list of existing key

executives and brief reference to their possible successors. The
replacement chart shows who will replace whom as and when there are
job vacancies at higher levels in the organization.
3. Grooming the potential successors – They should be given

challenging and demanding assignments which will stretch their
competencies and provide rich experience. Regular feedback will enable
them to compare their progress again plans. Mentors and coaches could
guide the bright people.
SWOT Analysis:
SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a

framework used to evaluate a company's competitive position and to
develop strategic planning. SWOT analysis assesses internal and
external factors, as well as current and future potential. A SWOT
analysis is designed to facilitate a realistic, fact-based, data-driven look
at the strengths and weaknesses of an organization, its initiatives, or an
industry. The organization needs to keep the analysis accurate by
avoiding pre-conceived beliefs or gray areas and instead focusing on
real-life contexts. Companies should use it as a guide and not necessarily
as a prescription.
SWOT stands for: Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat. A SWOT
analysis guides you to identify your organization’s strengths and
weaknesses (S-W), as well as broader opportunities and threats (O-T).
Developing a fuller awareness of the situation helps with both strategic
planning and decision-making.
The SWOT method was originally developed for business and industry,
but it is equally useful in the work of community health and
development, education, and even for personal growth.
SWOT is not the only assessment technique you can use. Compare it
with other assessment tools in the Community Tool Box to determine if
this is the right approach for your situation. The strengths of this method
are its simplicity and application to a variety of levels of operation.
WHEN DO YOU USE SWOT?
A SWOT analysis can offer helpful perspectives at any stage of an
effort. You might use it to:
Explore possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems.

Make decisions about the best path for your initiative. Identifying your
opportunities for success in context of threats to success can clarify
directions and choices.
Determine where change is possible. If you are at a juncture or turning
point, an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses can reveal
priorities as well as possibilities.
Adjust and refine plans mid-course. A new opportunity might open
wider avenues, while a new threat could close a path that once existed.
SWOT also offers a simple way of communicating about your initiative
or program and an excellent way to organize information you've
gathered from studies or surveys.
Defining the Key Positions:

Identifying Critical Position Criteria
The first step in succession planning is to identify critical positions.

This is done by reviewing all of the positions in the organization and
asking a series of questions about each position to determine which are
critical according to the definition and criteria below;
Single Incumbent
Only one person can perform unique positions and duties in the
organization.
What are the unique duties and why did you identify them as such? Can
anyone else complete these functions if the incumbent is absent?
Specialized Knowledge and Expertise

Incumbent has specialized knowledge and/or experience that is only
acquired over time or through specialized education and training.
Does the organization have the capacity to provide the required training
or development to grow the specialized knowledge? Is there limited
bench strength of individuals that can perform the function(s) that
utilize this expertise?
Rare In Market
Position or classification for which the organization has difficulty
finding qualified candidates, despite recruitment efforts.
Is a skill set needed that can only be gained by working within the
organization? Has it historically been difficult to attract a qualified
applicant pool?
Retirement Within 5 years

Employees are or will become eligible to retire within five years.
Has the employee started the retirement process or provided notice of

retirement?
Huge Network (Internally/Externally)

The Position has External or Internal Network Span that are both
strategically and operationally critical
Department Heads
Roles that are both operationally and strategically critical
If this position were left vacant, it would cause serious difficulties in
delivering on Organization's commitments and corporate priorities.
Geography
The position is the only one of its kind in a particular location and it
would be difficult for a similar position in another location to carry out
its functions.
Identifying Competencies of Key Positions

Key competencies are specific qualities that a company's recruiters
consider desirable for employees to possess.
They are often used as benchmarks to rate and evaluate candidates

during the recruitment process, especially when reviewing application
forms and at interview.
During the recruitment process, you will likely be asked competency-

based questions, and the recruiter will use your answers to determine
your suitability.
You should therefore identify the key competencies of any given role at
the beginning of the application process, and match your skills and
experience to them.
Often, you will be given ‘essential criteria’ that will outline the
competencies the company has identified as key.
Top 10 Key Competencies
1. Teamwork
Vital for the majority of careers, because teams that work well together
are more harmonious and more efficient.
Even if you work alone or remotely, it is still important that you are able
to communicate ideas and see the bigger picture of how your work will
be used by others in the organization.
Being able to work well in a team shows that you value others, can show
empathy and have the maturity to realize that no work is standalone.
Employers will be assessing whether you are able to work with others
towards a common goal and graciously share credit.
Working in a team requires excellent communication skills and problem-

solving abilities, which you will need to demonstrate in any examples
you give. See below for further details on both those traits.
2. Responsibility
The ability to take on a certain level of responsibility is necessary for
most jobs. Candidates that are good at taking responsibility are
comfortable making decisions or taking ownership of their work.
At senior levels, the responsibility that an employee is expected to bear

will be greater, but even in entry-level roles, the recruiter will want to
see examples of how you have handled responsibilities in the past.
This will give them a good indication of how you work under stress,
how you resolve issues and your work ethic in general.
---
Competency interview coming up? Want to boost your chances of
success by 97%? Click here to get instant access to Interview Gold, the
easy online training system for competency interviews. You get real
questions, winning answers and expert advice – all for just £59.95.
3. Commercial Awareness
An employer wants to know that you understand how their business
works. Only then can you really understand your role within it.
Most simply put, it is about staying up-to-date with your industry and
business in general. This includes marketing trends, customer
demographics, technical advances, and the successes and failures of
competitors.
To improve your commercial awareness, keep abreast of the latest

industry news and fully research your chosen company and its
competitors.
Get as much work experience as you can, so you can demonstrate to an

employer that you understand the role.
4. Decision Making
An employer will want to see that you can make the best possible
decisions in the shortest amount of time, by gathering information,
seeking opinions, analysing all possibilities and coming up with an
effective solution.
Decisions can often be very complex and the possible outcomes very
serious, so recruiters will examine whether you can explain the reasons
behind your decisions.
5. Communication
Excellent communication skills are essential in any role. What
employers really want to know is that you can convey information in a
way that is confident, professional and easy for others to understand,
whatever their level.
This might involve communicating information to colleagues, dealing

with customers or negotiating successful contracts.
Generally, employers are looking for good written and verbal

communication skills. Sometimes they will scrutinize your presentation
and listening skills too.
WikiJob also produces a psychometric tests app, available for both

Apple and Android, which includes 8 verbal tests, with a timer and
worked solutions.
6. Leadership
Leadership abilities are especially important if you are looking to
progress into a management position. Even if not, employers still want
to see that you are the type of person who can progress in their company
and motivate others.
Leadership will involve skills like delegating and setting deadlines, but it
is also about your leadership style. You will be assessed on how you
communicate with others, how you build relationships and how you
handle conflict.
7. Trustworthiness & Ethics

A person who is trustworthy and aligned with the ethics of the business
will build better relationships with existing staff members and enhance
team working efforts.
They will also be able to build real relationships with customers, who
will trust that they have their best interests at heart.
Demonstrate your trustworthiness by being honest and open in your

application, and show good moral judgement if asked about difficult
workplace scenarios.
8. Results Orientation
If a person is results-oriented they are focused on their goals and
understand the steps needed to achieve them. They will also have the
motivation to see projects through to fruition and motivate others to do
the same.
Being results oriented is also about knowing how to set goals with steps
that are realistic and achievable whilst also being ambitious enough to
increase levels of motivation.
Demonstrate this competency by thinking of real-life examples of when
you stuck to a task despite overcoming problems, met a deadline or
managed budgets.
9. Problem Solving
It’s important to demonstrate that, when a problem arises, you are able
to stay calm under pressure, research possible causes, identify trends and
choose the most relevant solution.
You are going to encounter problems at work, and employers want to

see how you will deal with this. The more senior you are, the more
problems you will likely have to resolve.
For some roles, problem-solving is a key aspect, such as analysts, law

professionals and customer-service-based roles.
10. Organizational skills

In any business, being organized is highly prized. An employer will be
looking at how you achieve results by prioritizing workload, effective
time management, showing efficiency with resources available and
monitoring progress.

Chap 4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chap 4

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chap 4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chap # 4 Assessing Your Organization

Succession planning can be defined as a process of selecting and

1. Top management support – HR manager along with heads of the

2. Identifying potential successors for critical positions based on

A Replacement Chart is prepared and it gives the list of existing key

3. Grooming the potential successors – They should be given

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a

Explore possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems.

Defining the Key Positions:

The first step in succession planning is to identify critical positions.

Specialized Knowledge and Expertise

Retirement Within 5 years

Has the employee started the retirement process or provided notice of

Huge Network (Internally/Externally)

Identifying Competencies of Key Positions

They are often used as benchmarks to rate and evaluate candidates

During the recruitment process, you will likely be asked competency-

Working in a team requires excellent communication skills and problem-

At senior levels, the responsibility that an employee is expected to bear

To improve your commercial awareness, keep abreast of the latest

Get as much work experience as you can, so you can demonstrate to an

This might involve communicating information to colleagues, dealing

Generally, employers are looking for good written and verbal

WikiJob also produces a psychometric tests app, available for both

7. Trustworthiness & Ethics

Demonstrate your trustworthiness by being honest and open in your

You are going to encounter problems at work, and employers want to

For some roles, problem-solving is a key aspect, such as analysts, law

10. Organizational skills

You might also like