“Bob, I’m a little shocked!” This is how my executive coaching client, Danny, the Vice-President-Production Operations with a large energy firm in the oil patch responded at the beginning of our conversation when asked, “How are things back at the ranch?” He went on to explain that when he had been nudged by their Human Resource function to get a sense of forecasted turnover over the next few years through retirements, attrition, etc., his people had collectively come to the conclusion that 70% of the staff in Danny’s division would turn over in the next 3 years. “Well, what are you planning to do to prevent the potential adverse consequences?”, I asked.

In response, Danny stated, “We clearly have to start identifying successors to the key Production Operations leadership positions, and in parallel with this identify and accelerate the development of High Potentials.” “What are your other glimpses of the obvious?” I asked him. “That’s a darn good question. I guess we’ve got to review other critical roles and specifically any flight risk staff!” 

“What generally would be the outcomes you and your leadership team would likely look for by doing this?” I asked again. He quickly responded with increased energy, “Well for one, identify key talent at the senior levels of our division, get a solid sense of our bench strength, get those we identify to be clear on their needed development activities, and agree with our senior team as to what exactly the key succession management metrics should  be!”. Danny had quickly created excellent strategic direction around this challenge that’s common to most private and public sector organizations.

When asked, “What’s really driving all of this?”, Danny said “That’s another great question. We’re anticipating continued strong growth once the economy gets back on its feet and obviously anticipating turnover of our key people. The increased challenge of filling these key roles along with our questionable current bench strength and readiness to backfill are clearly wanting, as well as our lack of being able to identify HiPo’s right now and having them ready to step into senior leadership roles when we need them to surface. I think these are the real concerns here.”

“How do you feel about all of this?” I asked. “Quite frankly, I’m disappointed, mad as hell for allowing ourselves to get into this position, and I’m damned anxious about what might happen if we don’t get on top of it . . . and yesterday! It’s now one of our top priorities!”

“So, what do you want to do about it?” I asked him. “Well, it’s clear that we’re engineering experts and not Human Resource experts so we’ll need to get together with HR and soon. I’ll put this at the top of the list at our next Production Ops executive leadership team meeting this coming Tuesday.”

“If you thought you knew what needed to be done in terms of the overall process for moving this forward quickly, what might that be?” Being the quick thinker he naturally is, Danny stated, “OK, do you just make these questions up? Well first, I would think that we need to scope out what actually needs to be identified through our succession management initiative. Second, we would no doubt have to assess and review our current engineering talent for levels of performance and potential. Third, we’d obviously have to start figuring out what key leadership and individual-contributor engineering roles need to be replaced and when. Last, I’m thinking it’s about making sure we have a top notch development action planning process in place that can be quickly designed and implemented. Does that make sense?”. “More importantly, does it make sense to you?” I responded. “You know, it does. Thanks.”, said Danny.

“So what’ll your next steps be given what you’ve said so far?” I asked him. “Again, the questions Uncle Bob!”, Danny said jokingly. “Well let me see. I’m thinking we start right away by initiating a succession planning meeting between us and HR early next month to agree on role expectations, determine critical roles in the Production Operations division, identify high impact engineer flight risks and begin a talent review to develop a list of HiPo’s.” “Then what?”, I asked. “OK”, Danny said, “Later in the month, we’ll make sure we have a talent replacement plan in place. In the following month we can shoot for having a development plan nailed down, and the month after that have our succession metrics in place with a solid progress plan established. Yeah, that’s sounds like it would do it.” 

Lastly I asked Danny, “So how will we know you’ve done what you’ve said?” “Again, with the questions!” he responded tongue in cheek. “I’ll send you a one page copy of our general plan for making this happen with target dates. I’ll send you an email once I believe each of the key milestones have been achieved. We can also carve out a small portion of some of our future executive coaching calls for us to discuss what’s happening. Will that work?” “It’s sounds like a plan my friend.” said I.

What insights in the foregoing were there for you? What one word captures your reaction? How do you feel about the subject of talent management and succession planning. What do you want to do with it? I would love to receive any gems this may have conjured up for you. For those interested, a wonderful book on this subject is ‘The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership Powered Company’, by Ram Charan, Stephen Drotter and James Noel. Take care and have a great day!

The name of the fellow you see above is Beau, Beau Benwick. He had what Jim Collins referred to as unwavering resolve. We treated him like a son. Beau came into our life when we had lost a previous rescue Brittany Spaniel, CeCe. Within a few months of CeCe passing away, Bev (my wife and CEO of our global executive coaching firm) had gone onto the American Brittany Rescue Association website and shortly thereafter said, “I’m flying down to Chicago on business and while there I’ll be putting our new rescue dog daughter, Honey, on the first plane to Seattle and please arrange to drive down and pick her up.” I dutifully, yet quite excitedly, said, “Absolutely!” Within two weeks of that, Bev said “Would you also arrange to drive down to Sacramento and pick up our new rescue dog son, Beau?” This was about 8 years ago and they would be our first pair of Rescue Brittanys being brought to their ‘forever home’. 

The foregoing is just setting the stage for the wonderful story to come. Both Beau and Honey settled in very quickly and were showered with love and every amenity any human being could wish for. Although Honey came from a good home and background, Beau came to us as an abused, rough and tumble character that never went around anything, but through it. He was a stoic fellow who never whined, but simply took what life handed out. He had a powerful and quiet strength about him. Both he and Honey became very, very close to Bev, who has an extensive equine background. She has this magic around animals that when they see her, they will come considerable distances just to be near her. It’s actually quite amazing to observe.

Now back to Beau. About two and a half years ago Bev began her Master in Leadership degree at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC. She took this task on with huge gusto and worked on squeezing every ounce of learning she could out of the experience. What I’m trying to say is that she studied 24-7 for two plus years. Once she started on her thesis project, she literally lived in her second story office in our home. Always with her was Beau, lying at her feet on a sheepskin rug under her desk and computer. 

It was soon after Bev started working on her degree that we noticed Beau was experiencing physical difficulties. He was immediately taken to the vet, who after taking a number of x-rays, shared that Beau had cancer and would probably not live for another month. A complete shock to us and heart rending! As is her way, Bev then pulled out all the stops and had Beau provided with every traditional and non-traditional healing alternative available. This included bringing in an ‘animal psychic’ by the name of Jerry, who has since become a dear friend. After being introduced to Beau, Jerry started to work with him with great intensity. It was in one of the early sessions that Jerry told Bev and I that Beau shared with him that he was not prepared to move on until Bev had completed her ‘work’, meaning her studies. It was about being there for her, supporting and protecting her because he had strongly picked up on her increased stress levels. This went completely in the face of his prognosis.

Through the good and bad they were both there for each other. They were absolutely inseparable. It wasn’t unusual for me to get up in the wee hours of the morning on any night of the week and see Bev working hard in her office with Beau at her feet. He never left her. Bev rarely left her office other than to deliver on her executive coaching commitments, eat and get ‘some’ sleep.

Two years after Beau’s prognosis, Bev completed her exceptionally lengthy thesis and pushed the button on her computer with an enormous sigh of relief and a declaration that “It’s finally done!” It was the very next day Beau passed away, March 24th, 2008. It would be an understatement to say his passing was enormous. The lessons learned from this wonderful ‘being’ called Beau Benwick were monumental. In his way, Beau was a wonderful teacher and leader to the both of us.

So, in line with our blog site theme, I believe that Jim Collins, in his influential book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don’t, really captured the qualities of this amazing being who came into our lives and changed us forever . . . and for so much the better. The five attributes that Jim Collins claims typify a Level 5 Leader, were completely aligned with who Beau Benwick was:

1. Self-Confident Enough To Set Up Their Successors For Success – Beau did this in spades for Bev. 

2. Humble and Modest - never did Beau complain during the cancer that eventually wracked his body, but always showed enormous strength in a quiet, loving and caring manner as he supported Bev.

3. Have “Unwavering Resolve” – Beau made it clear the two years previously that he would never abandon Bev, would unwaveringly support and protect her until she had ‘completed climbing her mountain’. 

4. Display a “Workmanlike Diligence” - more plow horse than show horse, this was Beau through and through; nothing deterred him from being at Bev’s side in his quiet, powerful manner.

5. Give Credit to Others for Their Success and Take Full Responsibility For Poor Results - Beau was solely there for Bev, expected nothing but kindness and love in return no matter what the result of Bev’s academic efforts were. She was his hero regardless of the outcome. (By the way she received rave reviews from her Academic Advisor on her final thesis report).

Well that was our Beau. He left an enormous hole in our lives. When he passed away, Honey, who was at the peak of health at the time, quickly deteriorated from his passing and absence and she too passed away three months later. Bev and I simply could not stand the vacuum created in our lives by their loss. Bev got back in touch with the American Brittany Rescue Association and last June and July, 2008, I was instructed to drive to Montana and to pick up ‘Woody’ a five year old male Brittany love machine, and ‘Skya’, a seven your old female Brittany sweetheart who had been rescued from a ‘Kill Shelter’ a month prior (see YouTube). She’s another story because she actually named herself with Jerry’s help. If interested, I would be happy to share this story with you as well.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little tale. It’s been cathartic for me and I thank you for your indulgence. I admired Beau and learned a lot from his quiet strength and unwavering resolve. I would enjoy hearing about similar experiences. Just go to ‘comments’ below and have at it. Have a great day!