Succession Planning – 6 of 8

March 30th, 2011

We have building plans and patterns to guide the successful creation of buildings and clothing. Why not have templates for every job?

Introduction

The work you have done so far – the job description, structure, and other relationship information – has clarified the position. This next step will significantly deepen that clarity, increase potential for high performance, and provide guidance for talent selection and development as needed.

Step Two: Create a Job Template

While the job template is not a unique concept, what I am proposing here is a unique approach to the job template created by Target Training International (TTI): the “job benchmark” that relies on subject matter experts to say what the “job” would want if the job could talk.

Invite three to seven subject matter experts to a job template meeting (two – three hours). A subject matter expert is someone who has done the job successfully, depends on the job being done well, has supervised the job, or anyone who knows what is required to do the job well.

These steps – outlined in a previous installments are required.

1. Identify the 3 to 5 key accountabilities of the job. (see directinos for accountability worksheet  and spread sheet).

2. Prioritize these accountabilities. They are all important, but if you could
     have only one, what would it be? If you could have only two, what would
     the second one be? etc.

3. Assign the ideal percentage of time a person should spend to accomplish
     each of these accountabilities.

If you have already completed these steps, you can use your session with SMEs to verify your results and to include your SMEs in your thought process in preparation for creating the job template. If you have not completed these steps, then do so with your SMEs – but it may take an additional hour or so.

The job template is created by completing a highly evolved online survey:  The “job Report” created by Target Training International. The resulting job report gives a very clear list of job requirements related to preferred behaviors, job motivators, and talent attributes.

If you want more information about this, please contact me at egagne@is-consulting.com. Also, here is a sample job report .

Next:

Assess current talent and identify gaps in relation to the job template. The easiest and most accurate way to do this is for the incumbent or potential candidates to complete an online assessment and compare with the job report.

Entry Filed under: Succession Planning