By, Elizabeth Schlicht, Director of Clients, Impact AMC
The US workforce is facing a massive shift that is already well underway as many seasoned leaders prepare to leave the workforce. A record 4.21 million Americans turned 65 in 2024, with many choosing to retire – a rate of about 11,000 per day (CBS News, Manpower). At the same time, the number of new entrants to the workforce has remained flat – creating a shortage and setting the stage for significant burnout in the coming years.
Facing this reality, many associations are looking to build intentional succession plans to have ready for when, not if, turnover in staff occurs. This is important for any position, but especially critical for your Executive Director (or similar title as the chief staff member). As the Board’s only staff member or the direct supervisor for all other staff, planning for this succession weighs on both the Executive Director and the Board to plan for successful and smooth transitions. Both the Board and Executive Director must work together to future-proof the association so it may withstand inevitable changes at the helm (Ideals Board).
Evaluate the association’s preparedness.
There are a few questions to bear in mind when evaluating an association’s preparedness for successions, and steps that can be taken to lessen the impact of these inevitable transitions:
What are the key insights, relationships and historical knowledge held by this individual and position?
What is the strength of our staff “bench” – the full team beyond the Executive Director?
What can we do to build our talent base, and intentionally create additional insights into the unique components of our key roles?
These questions call on both the Executive Director and the Board to evaluate the association’s current capacity and capabilities, and encourage them to assess the association’s ability to invest in addressing any concerns surfaced in response.
Invest in staff development.
When considering the current capabilities within the larger staff, identifying opportunities to build up staff skills will always benefit an association. Investing in professional development pays dividends in stronger outcomes for an association. While these staff members may not be identified to take over the Executive Director position, having a well-developed team overall can be the difference between a successful transition at the top or a period of turbulence for the association.
For associations with a clear internal successor, creating an action plan to communicate that plan with the Board and internal successor—and intentionally incorporating them into the role over a set amount of time—can provide long-term stability for the association as well as set the new Executive Director up for success.
Consider working with an AMC.
For many associations, particularly those with limited staff roles, any turnover can be incredibly impactful on the ability to keep initiatives moving forward—and there may not be a clear successor from within the current team. An Association Management Company (AMC), like Impact AMC, helps address these concerns for associations by intentionally building teams that are supported and cross-trained on association functions and needs. This allows the AMC staff to step in and help during periods of succession, supporting the new staff member by supplying institutional knowledge and keeping initiatives moving forward while new staff gain the valuable insights needed to fully take on their role.
Associations who partner with an AMC have a built-in succession plan in place, as the AMC’s wide internal talent pool is leveraged to ensure the right skills are brought forward for each role and that cross training and consistent talent development are in place to keep elevating and moving associations forward.
Prepare now to ensure stability later.
Now is the time to prepare for inevitable change and turnover. As a member of an association Board or an Executive Director, take the time to evaluate gaps in resources, invest in your team, and consider the options available to ensure the continued success of your association.
Connect with Impact AMC’s team of skilled association management professionals to discover how the AMC model can support your association now and in the future.