Phase 2: Assess Candidates
Identifying candidates is a key part of the succession planning process. The Candidate Assessment Tool has value beyond determining readiness and interest in succession opportunities. Assessment results can be used to support learning and development discussions and be utilized to inform learning and development plans, which can then be included as part of an individual's annual APP.
Completing candidate assessments is a straightforward process that takes approximately 10 minutes per person to complete. The insights into areas of strengths and areas for continued learning and development for each direct report is well worth the time and effort to complete.
However, we recognize there are some scenarios where it might not make sense to complete an assessment (impending retirement or other type of planned exit). Supervisors may prefer to discuss succession interest and/or future plans with out-of-scope employees prior to completing the assessment tool. Supervisors can go this route if doing so provides clarity regarding future intentions and level of interest in succession opportunities amongst direct reports.
Candidate Assessment Tool
The Candidate Assessment Tool (CAT) contains the following resources:
- Assessment Tool - Allows supervisors to evaluate a candidate’s readiness for succession opportunities by assessing their performance and potential.
- Interest Tool - Completed in the next step described in Phase 4: Confirm Candidate Interest.
- Rating Definitions - These rating definitions can be helpful for supervisors to ensure that Performance/Potential rating combinations are in alignment with what they know to be true of the employee they are assessing.
Performance Ratings
Performance ratings are a comprehensive list of leadership behaviours and skills, aligned to the LEADS in a Caring Environment capabilities framework. The leadership behaviours and skills can be assessed from two different lenses:
- Ratings can be based on a supervisor's current experience with the candidate.
- Ratings can be based on what the supervisor views the candidate is capable of.
If there haven't been opportunities for the candidate to demonstrate many of the leadership behaviours and skills, it will be helpful for the supervisor to review the ratings definitions tab in the Candidate Assessment Tool to ensure the assessment ratings align with what they know to be true of the employee being assessed.
Supervisors assess the potential of each candidate by assigning ratings in each of the following categories - aspiration, learning agility, alignment to organizational core values, and engagement.
When all ratings are complete, each candidate will receive a score, which will provide an overall performance and potential rating of High, Medium, or Low in both categories.
Based on the overall performance and potential ratings, a candidate will move into one of three ‘readiness’ categories.
Ready Now
This rating means that a candidate is ready to move into next-level leadership positions at any point within the next 0-12 months. If you have a “Ready Now” candidate within your portfolio, and no expected succession opportunities in the short or medium-term future, this may be an individual who should be considered for succession opportunities in other areas of the organization and/or who may be ready for stretch assignments. High Performance/High Potential team members with an interest in succession opportunities could be at risk to leave the organization if there is a lack of opportunity to take on new challenges and succeed to new roles.
Ready Soon
This rating means that a candidate may be ready for next-level leadership opportunities within the next 1-2 years. Whatever the reason for requiring more time, these individuals are key contributors who, with a little more experience, training, etc. are likely to progress to “Ready Now” candidates. Leaders of “Ready Soon” candidates should be intentional about working with these team members to create learning plans, provide challenging/stretch assignments, and consider mentorship, leadership coaching, etc. to help spur on continued growth and development.
Not Ready
This rating means that an employee is not ready for next-level leadership opportunities within the next 2 years and is not a succession candidate at this time. Intentional learning and growth for “Not Ready” employees will be key. In some situations a "Not Ready" rating may be because a candidate is new to their role and have yet to gain the necessary experience for succession readiness, rather than it being an indication of poor performance.
Once the assessment is complete, supervisors can move on to confirming each candidate’s interest in succession opportunities.
Confirm Candidate Interest - Supervisor and Candidate Conversation
This step in the assessment phase focuses on two-way conversations between supervisors and employees. The purpose of this conversation is to determine candidate interest in vertical and/or lateral succession opportunities, both within their existing portfolio and in other portfolios across the organization.
Vertical succession means an interest in moving to the next level of leadership (e.g. director to executive director). Lateral succession means an interest in exploring other roles at the current level of leadership.
Example of a conversation starter at the ED/Director level:
ED: We are creating a succession plan for my role, as well as for the other ED roles in the portfolio, and I’ve identified you as someone on our team with succession potential. Are you interested in pursuing potential leadership opportunities at the executive director level?
It is important to be clear with employees that their succession interest does not guarantee promotion.
Candidate Confirms Interest in Succession
If the employee confirms their interest in succession opportunities and is a ‘Ready Now’ or ‘Ready Soon’ candidate, supervisors will move on to complete the Interest tab in the Candidate Assessment Tool (CAT).
The Interest tab in the CAT provides supervisors with a space to identify the roles that succession candidates might be interested in, both at their current level of leadership and above (eg. confirming a Director’s interest in Executive Director level roles). Candidates can confirm interest in roles both within their existing portfolio and/or in other portfolios.
Supervisors will capture succession interest outside of the candidate’s immediate portfolio in the third section titled, “Interest Outside of Portfolio”, and provide an opportunity to identify both the portfolio of interest, and any specific roles they might have interest in as well.
External Candidates
In some situations, the incumbent leader may not have succession candidates who directly report to them and will therefore need to explore other options to build their succession plan. These options can include considering candidates from other portfolios within the organization, as well as considering external candidates.
In the “Interest” tab in the CAT, incumbent leaders will have an opportunity to identify external candidates for their succession plan. Leaders will list the external candidate’s name, current organization, email address, position they are being considered for, and the reasons to consider this person as an external succession candidate.
This could be someone that the incumbent already knows and/or a name that someone else has referred as a potential fit.
Candidate Not Interested in Succession
If a candidate indicates they are not interested in succession opportunities, supervisors should take no further action with that individual as it relates to succession planning.
Supervisors can continue to engage with these employees about ongoing learning and growth opportunities as part of performance leadership, utilizing the APP process.
Supervisors can also keep in mind that a lack of interest now doesn’t mean a lack of interest forever. Supervisors will need to revisit succession-focused conversations on an annual basis and also advise candidates that their succession interests can be updated throughout the year. Changes can be submitted to SHAOrgDevelopment@saskhealthauthority.ca
Submit CAT
After completing the Assessment and Interest tabs, the Candidate Assessment Tool is ready to be submitted. Supervisors submit their CAT to Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership (OEL) at shaorgdevelopment@saskhealthauthority.ca.
The OEL team will compile the completed CATs for each leadership team member and use this information to begin populating the portfolio Succession Readiness Plan template, which is the centerpiece of the next step in the process.