Succession Management:
Strategic Leadership Development

Succession Planning is about managing the future of your organization, to ensure that the talent and potential is available and prepared to assume leadership roles. A generation ago, this was not a hot issue. Today, and for the foreseeable future it is a "front-burner" issue for every organization. Why? - you may ask. Numerous factors have brought the talent and leadership issue to where it is today, but the singular factor that is most readily apparent, and already impacting many businesses and industries, is the "Baby Boomer" Phenomenon. A stark reality; all these folks born in the late 40's and early 50's are reaching the age where they can now exercise the retirement option, and many are opting to do just that. Compounding this very significant reality, is the fact that, based on recent and valid studies, for every two "Boomers" who leave, or intend to leave, only one qualified individual is joining the organization. The talent pool is shrinking. One can quickly deduce that competition for top performers with exceptional potential will become increasingly intense. Here is the conundrum: how do you retain your top performers and prepare them for succession to more senior posts, while concurrently attracting other top performers from outside, to ensure you have a sufficient complement of leadership talent to take your organization into the future?

These is where Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group Ltd. can step into the proverbial breach and provide the expertise and support you need to effectively address the complex issues related to Succession Planning. In the critical area of Succession Planning, our hands-on experience and expertise will assist you, in developing a strategic Succession Plan that is clearly aligned with your broader strategic plan that will chart the path for your organization's future. With you, we will identify and clarify the leadership competencies needed to achieve the vision that you have for your organization's future, to ensure that your future leaders lead in a manner that is appropriately skilled, and consistent with your organizational values and culture. We will assist you in identifying your star performers and measure their potential for accession to more senior leadership positions in the future; we will measure actual leadership ability, or potential, by evaluating criteria that goes well beyond hands-on "technical skills", which are frequently given inordinate weight in promotion decisions.

Once we have identified the high potential individuals, we will then assist you in preparing a tailored leadership development program, based on the identified core competencies. More importantly we will work with you and the identified "star performers" to prepare individual development programs that will ensure they are prepared for promotion when the opportunity arrives. This includes a one-on-one coaching and feedback process to build on strengths and to address leadership competencies that require further development. With each individual, we will prepare a comprehensive development program, with specific goals, timelines, feedback and action plans, to provide them, and you, with a roadmap for development, aligned with organization goals and strategic plan. We will tailor these programs to effectively address both your needs as a senior leader, in preparing for the future, and the selected individuals' needs that align with your organization's strategic goals. Working closely with you, the senior leader(s), we prepare leader development programs that are open-ended so that your current and future leaders continue to develop their leadership styles and skills; in effect, creating a learning culture.

A final piece in any effective Succession Planning initiative, is development of functional strategies to both attract and retain the talent you will require for both now and the future. We will work with you to develop those strategies, to better ensure that your return on investment (ROI) in Succession Planning far exceeds the cost, in dollars, lost production and many other areas, of not having a Succession Plan in place. Proactivity, when strategically developed, far exceeds reactivity in ROI. The strategic impact of identifying your future leadership needs and planning for the ongoing success of your organization is immeasurable. Be a visionary leader and commit to Succession Planning.

Coaching & Coaching Skills

The reality of today's workplace demands leaders with a broader repertoire of skills and abilities; than even a few years ago. Although a healthy ratio of leaders possess the potential to lead more effectively, the complexities of organizations, the market place, and technology, frequently require specific expertise to enable leaders to develop and effectively utilize latent or newly acquired insights and skills. Coaching leaders to maximize their leadership effectiveness will pay measurable benefits to any organization. Effective leadership will better ensure that your employees are motivated, committed, engaged and effective - invaluable assets in this age of global and intensely competitive markets.

The Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group team has the experience and expertise to assist your leaders to develop a broadened repertoire of leadership skills, through a systematic and interactive process of one-on-one coaching. Utilizing psychometric instruments, and/or 360 degree assessment, and open-ended discussion, our consultants will conduct a comprehensive measurement and evaluation of the following individual factors:

• current leadership style (strengths and limitations)
• level of self-awareness
• openness to change
• decision-making styles
• conflict management styles
• problem-solving style and ability
• basic intelligence and creativity
• communication and interpersonal styles
• emotional intelligence
• career objectives
• stress management
• strategic thinking ability

A Marathon coaching consultant will then prepare a detailed Career Development Report on the results of each psychometric instrument, for both the individual and the organization. Using the report as a baseline, we will provide constructive and detailed feedback to the individual, building on relevant existing strengths, and areas that require further development. With self-awareness being one of the significant factors inherent to leadership effectiveness, we will increase the individual's insights into how their leadership and other interpersonal behaviours affect others and, how others respond to them. We will assist them through coaching, to increase their level of self-awareness, to build upon their leadership strengths and, to think and act strategically. Throughout the coaching relationship we integrate the concept of continuous self-development, to encourage self-motivation and responsibility for continuous development of leadership skills. Any development process, to be truly effective, does not have a "best-before" or "end" date - it becomes a continuous commitment, where the individual "raises the bar" each time they achieve skill and style milestones in their leadership behaviours.

Emotional Intelligence - BarOn EQi and EQi360

Understanding Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the awareness of emotions within ourselves and others and how our emotions influence relationships. EI is about how we use our emotions effectively to maximize our relationships.

Understanding and developing our EI is a catalyst to improving leadership, client service, recruitment, retention, team work and overall competitive advantage.

Employees who are engaged in their work, and loyal to their organization, attribute this to positive relationships with their supervisor. (In fact most people leave employers because of poor relationships.) Organizations that have a climate where employees feel a strong sense of relationship (i.e. are emotionally engaged) have significantly higher profitability; emotional intelligence appears key to this competitive advantage.' (Freedman & Everett, 2004) Developing EI will lead to improved working relationships which are vital to increasing productivity, quality, customer/client service, sales and customer loyalty.

EI is particularly important for Executives who have the challenge of leading by example and engaging their followers (transformational leaders). Leaders demonstrate their effectiveness through building relationships and inspiring followers to contribute to the competitive advantage of the organization. For this reason, it is imperative that leaders 'demonstrate' to others the value of self-awareness and engagement in the workplace, through increasing their own self-awareness and actively engaging in their own personal and professional development.

Individual EI Assessment

Complete the BarON EQ-I assessment instrument, receive feedback and coaching to integrate the assessment results. This service is delivered through an interactive 5 - 6 hour process which will provide you with feedback on the EI areas of Self-Regard; Emotional Self-Awareness; Assertiveness; Independence; Self-Actualization; Empathy; Social Responsibility; Interpersonal Relationship; Stress Tolerance; Impulse Control; Reality Testing; Flexibility; Problem Solving; Optimism and Happiness.

EQ-i 360 Assessment

An assessment of your EI using input from superiors peers and subordinates. The EQ-i 360 gives you a comprehensive appreciation of your EI from the perspective of others. Feedback and Coaching are designed to assist you in understanding how you can narrow the gaps and build on your emotional strengths in the workplace. This service is delivered through a 7-8 hour professional consulting process.