8 Ways to Evaluate Your Readiness for a Successful Succession

Are you ready to pass the torch of leadership to the next generation?

Too often, leaders wait until almost everyone in the organization is asking, "How much longer will our leader hang onto the reins of leadership?"

Sometimes, people in the organization are even afraid to have the conversation with the leader who clearly needs to praying about and planning for a succession. And that's a sad commentary on the spiritual health and maturity of the organization and the spiritual health and maturity of the leader.

Succession is Biblical. Think Moses to Joshua. Think Elijah to Elisha. Think Jesus to the Twelve. And think Paul to Timothy and Titus.

I've often said that every day you live as a leader, you are one day closer to becoming the ex-leader of your church, organization, or ministry. Your transition is inevitable. The question is simple: For the health of your organization and followers, will you transition with grace, dignity, intentionality, and excellence... or not?

Why aren't leaders proactive when it comes to leadership transition? Many reasons. Let me just mention a few of the reasons I have seen over the years.

• They find their identity in a position or title rather than their identity in Christ. 
• They believe that it's their position that creates opportunities for fruitfulness rather than their place in the Vine. 
• They don't trust God to create new avenues and opportunities for fruitful service. 
• They don't love their organization enough to make future plans for the organization to thrive without them. 
• They secretly want the pinnacle of their organization's success to be under their leadership rather than under the leadership of a future leader. 
• They doubt that the next leader can accomplish greater things than they were able to accomplish.
• They don't truly value discipling, equipping and encouraging the next generation. 
• They are fearful about their financial future. 

Here's a self-assessment I created for leaders in their 50s, 60s, and 70s to evaluate their readiness to pass the torch of leadership to the next generation. If you are wondering if you are spiritually and emotionally mature enough to pass the torch, then give yourself a score on a scale of 1-10, 10 being high: 10 – Always, 7 – Usually, 5 – Sometimes, 3 – Rarely, 1 – Never.

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8 Ways to Evaluate Your Readiness for a Successful Succession

___ My identity is not wrapped up in my position or title. Instead, I realize that I have great worth apart from my position or title because Christ gave His life for me and imparted great value to me.

___ I do not believe that my position or title is the source of my fruitfulness. Instead, I am demonstrating that my fruitfulness comes from abiding in Christ more widely, deeply, constantly, and purely.

___ I believe that God can open up doors of fruitful service for me even after I transition out of my current leadership position.

___ Just as a father develops plans to love and care for his family in the case of a catastrophe, I am implementing a succession plan for my ministry because I love the people and the organization that God has entrusted me to lead.

___ I realize that the measure of my success as a leader includes, to a great degree, how well the organization functions after my departure. There is no success without a successor.

___ I have identified my successor and I am pouring my life and leadership into the next leader just as Moses did with Joshua, Elijah did with Elisha, and Paul did with Timothy and Titus.

___ I am energized by and find great fulfillment in encouraging, equipping, mentoring, coaching, and training the next generation of leaders.

___ I am trusting God with not only my future ministry, reputation, and opportunities, but also with my future finances. 

___ Total

Where did you score highest? Where did you score lowest? What does this tell you about where and how you might need to grow so you can pass the leadership torch with intentionality and excellence?

Where are you now? Where do you want to be? How are you going to get there? What fears or obstacles are preventing you from getting there?

Now create a plan for your next steps. Work through your plans with your leadership team. Initiate the conversation that everyone around you wishes they could have. Let your family and your team speak into your plans and into your life. Make sure your next steps are SMART – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

Remember: Your success includes your successor. Now, go find who that is!