Succession Planning Practices at Send a Cow project Uganda

Abstract

Following challenges of poor succession planning leading to leadership gaps in send a cow Uganda, a study was initiated to examine the succession planning practices currently being adopted in SACU and the impact these practices have had on the continuity and success of the project in Uganda. The study adopted a cross sectional design and quantitative approach. The sample was 59 staff from 66 total staff obtained using simple random and purposive sampling. Primary data was obtained from self-administered questionnaires. The tools used were valid with a content validity index ranging between of 0.77 and 0.89 as well as reliability of 0.483 to 0.574. The Statistical Package for Social Scientists was used for quantitative data analysis.

Key succession planning practices included mentoring and coaching, active involvement of the CEO and Board, diversity management policy, employee interest in taking higher positions and employee retention. Succession planning. The key challenges of implementing succession planning included, inadequate performance feedback mechanisms, resistance to change, line manager inactive participation in issues related to succession planning, difficulties in implementing personal development plans. Strategies to improve implementation of succession planning included; making individuals part owners, identifying staff who are ready for a bigger role, looking far and wide for employees with complementary skill sets and allocating enough financial resources to succession planning.

The study concludes that succession planning is a growing practice in organisations. Succession planning positively contributes to project management success especially in cost reduction, stability and satisfaction. Inadequate performance feedback mechanisms, complexity of the evaluation tool, resistance to change and ego related challenges need to be overcome for succession planning to be relevant.

The study recommends using a mix of various training and development methods, proper and continuous active involvement of the CEO and Board in succession programmes, using an acceptable evaluation criteria, ensure that managers retire honourably with some good financial packages, making individuals part owners, early identification of talent and preparing staff early enough to take on responsibilities, making succession planning a policy.

The practical implications for the study are that organisations should implement best practices for succession planning to survive with limited management disruptions. Organisations should consider employees involvement in deciding the future management fate of the organisation to reduce staff costs, boost morale and improve survival chances.