The Inevitable and Difficult Leadership Decision
By: Sharon Campbell
Leaders in facilities management demonstrate their skills, values, and contributions as they navigate the various roles and make the critical decisions necessary during their tenure. They wear a lot of hats. Their passion for contributing to their institutions or organizations is evident in their stewardship of existing facilities, championing and bringing new and renovated facilities online to serve constituents and the surrounding communities. It shows in their support of education and development for their staff and in leading their teams to achieve goals that support the institution's strategic plans. It is notable in selecting and mentoring staff for future leadership roles. These achievements are sources of pride, validate leadership expertise, garner the respect of peers and administrators, and have the potential to feed egos to imagine no one can replace them or that the shoes are too big to be filled by someone else.
Reflecting on and celebrating achievements, recognizing it is time, accepting reality, and executing a successful transition plan to new leadership is often tricky. Unless personal circumstances, health issues, or the administration’s desire for change significantly impact continuing in a leadership role, deciding to step aside and usher in new leadership can be a wrestling match with the ego. Emotional intelligence and healthy introspections are required to execute a graceful and timely exit.
Self-reflection areas may include these and other questions. Am I as excited to return to the office on Monday as I have been? Am I generating exciting ideas or initiatives that motivate my team? Am I embracing change and new technology, or am I clinging to the familiar and status quo? Am I promoting a positive environment for excellence or leaning into complacency? Am I losing talent on the team because there is little opportunity for achieving their career goals? Am I more interested in pursuing another career interest? Am I more interested in pursuing personal interests or hobbies that I have sidelined while I pursued career achievements? Am I creating the experiences and opportunities that talented staff need to develop their leadership skills? Is my ego keeping me from recognizing that I have a leader ready to take on the role and bring innovations and ideas to the team?
These questions require an honest assessment of our current leadership to guide decision-making. Ego aside, if the answer to the last question on future leadership is “yes,” the difficulty of deciding when to leave is less stressful. If leaders and administrations have made succession planning part of initiatives and support, identifying one or more leaders could follow the decision that it is time to pass the baton.
Transparent leadership and a strategic approach make the transition a positive experience for the successor, the team, and the institution. Communicate the decision clearly and positively, sharing the reasons and intentions for moving forward. Celebrating the team’s achievements, acknowledging the challenges of change, and supporting the successor is crucial to navigating a shift in leadership. If applicable, determining the appropriate period for the transition and accepting a lesser role during that period can be a joint effort between the leader, the successor, and the administration.
Demonstrating servant leadership, by coaching, mentoring others, and contributing to the institution or organization’s resilience and cultural health, leaves a legacy that can influence and inspire others. Leadership change in the workplace, in politics, or the world in general, whether it is graceful, refreshing, and positive or destructive and chaotic, has lasting impressions and impacts,
Facilities leadership roles in the evolving higher education environment warrant that a graceful, refreshing, and timely exit promote as much positive promise as our entrance. The best leaders start the process of succession planning early with their recruitment efforts as they build their teams. This decision places even more importance on recruitment practices and efforts, see previous blogs on recruiting for excellence and the future of facilities management.