My Article Published today in the Family Firm Institute Practitioner magazine, OKR Leadership and Succession Planning

by Doug Gray | Feb 19, 2020 | change, family, Managers, OKR Leadership Skills, organizational leadership, published articles

Here is the PDF of the complete article

Here is the opening text…

Succession Planning requires OKR Leadership

At a recent meeting I asked, “What is your leadership succession plan?”  After a blank stare from several business owners I heard:

“We don’t have one.  What is it, exactly?”

“You’re looking at it.  I’m all we’ve got.”

Family-owned business leaders are not alone.  Business owners are not alone.  As most FFI members know, family business leaders represent about 70% of the U.S. economy, and about 70% of new job creation.  My experience is that 100% of family business leaders worry about succession planning.  What about your clients?

This short article explains what succession planning is, and how OKR leadership can help your clients be more proactive than reactive.  You have probably read that only 1/3 of family businesses survive from the first generation to the second.  But the reason for that low success rate is because they are not well advised by FFI members.  You, and your clients, can practice succession planning using OKR leadership.   Think of this article as one more tool in your toolbox.

Definitions 

Succession Planning is defined as a process for identifying and developing your next generation of key leaders.  The goal of succession planning in family-owned businesses is to perpetuate your legacy and assets over generations.

Succession planning requires OKR Leadership.  Let me explain.  Objectives describe what to do (e.g., transition ownership and management to the next generation).  Key Results (KRs) describe how you measure that objective (e.g., assess the strengths and weaknesses of each family member and director within the next 30 days).

OKR leadership is the process for managers and leaders to practice what matters.  For example, if your business needs to develop a succession plan, then you may need to increase accountability and transparency using OKRs.  At many of my client companies, OKRs are written by each director and each family leader.  Those OKRs are reviewed monthly at family business meetings.  You may know that OKRs have driven the largest migration of financial assets and technological innovation ever recorded in human history to Silicon Valley, California since the 1970s.  OKR leadership is a radical process for top-down hierarchical organizations to implement, but it is attractive to many family-owned business leaders because it works.

Case study

Rick is an example…

Read the full article above for the case study.

For discussion about your family business or succession planning, please contact Doug Gray here.