The hand-off from one leader to another is seldom perfectly smooth.
It looks simple on paper, but in reality, it is a fragile moment for the team, the leader, and the successor.
Leaders often become their role.
Their decisions, relationships, and reputations are tied to who they are as leaders. Letting go can be like losing a piece of their identity.
At the same time, some team members may struggle to separate the organization or team from the person who led it. This makes it hard for the leader and the team to say goodbye completely.
No matter how ready the leader is to transfer power, they will typically have regrets about leaving people behind, results they weren’t able to accomplish, and initiatives that were left unfinished.
These regrets influence their thinking on the way out. Instead of giving the reins fully to the next leader, they assert their views or impose their decisions before departing.
In the worst cases, they actually remain present or involved. A predecessor who sticks around can quickly undermine the confidence team members have in the new leader. It is only natural for the team to look to the former leader for guidance, creating confusion about who’s really in charge.
Even when they are highly capable, successors are rightly nervous about being compared to the leader they follow.
Establishing credibility with team members they don’t know or haven’t led before is challenging enough without being compared to the previous leader.
Building the trust that great working relationships require takes much longer when it happens in the shadow of the predecessor. This can lead to a slow start for the new leader or derail them altogether.
So, what should a leader do to transfer the mantle effectively?
In addition to giving the new leader background and context for the team and its results, the best predecessors do two important things for the successor, both of which take maturity and wisdom.
The first gift they give to the new leader is to disappear physically, relationally, and performatively. As soon as is reasonable, they extricate themselves from the team and the organization.
They cut the cord and move away from the team and its work. They remain available to advise the new leader but otherwise keep their distance.
As important as disengaging is, the greatest gift a leader can give to a successor is to set them free from comparison. This means releasing them from the obligation of imitating the leader or even following through on the initiatives they will inherit.
The best leaders broadcast to others that they expect and encourage the new leader to follow their own path, to treat nothing as sacred, and to forge ahead with their own vision and strategy. Signaling to others that change is likely to occur gives the new leader the freedom to operate independently of history.
Leader transitions are a clash between legacy and reinvention. New leaders need the space and endorsement to chart the best course forward. They can’t do this without the help of the previous leader.
Good predecessors know that titles pass easily, but new leader momentum requires their assistance.
