In her latest column for the Inc. Leadership Forum, BL Companies CEO Carolyn Stanworth explains why company leaders should start planning for their last day on the job on the very first day they step into the role. Every measure should be taken to ensure a smooth transition for the new leadership; that’s what true professional responsibility is all about. Carolyn became CEO of BL Companies at an extremely difficult time, both for the firm and for the country as a whole. That experience helped form her approach and decision-making over the next 15 years. While the title, “When I Leave, No One Notices” certainly does not apply to the personal relationships Carolyn has built over the years with the employee-owners of BL, it sums up her dedication to positioning BL for success and continued growth after she retires. Here is an excerpt:
Shortly after taking over the CEO role, we reformed the senior leadership team. During our first workshop we all wrote down a personal vision for the future. It became my guidepost for 15 years. Here’s the vision I had that day for what it would look like for me to retire:
“When I come to work, I have nothing to do. When I leave, no one notices. And at my party WE celebrate all that WE have achieved together. Because WE have: valued what each person contributes; allowed them to find their place; understood our challenges and acted on those; created a learning environment for each other’s success; have taken personal responsibility to help; and invited others to share in the journey with us.”
I’ve read these words at least once a week since I first wrote them down, and I never changed a word. (I considered taking out the “party” reference; I’m not much of a partier.)
When I wrote this in my early days as CEO, the firm was in rough shape. Embedded in the idea of coming to work and having nothing to do was a promise to not let the next CEO go through what I went through. It would be about continuity, not survival. For the sake of the firm and all of its employee-owners, the succession plan needed to be so meticulous and so thorough that my first day of retirement would just seem like business as usual to everyone else. When I leave, no one notices.
Read the full article here.