Succession Planning for Security Departments

Survival of the fittest may work in the animal kingdom, but grooming the next generation of CSOs requires a substantial investment of time, a sincere interest in employee development and a dash of humility. Are you ready for succession planning?

Leadership opportunities don't just exist in the corporate setting. Saenz encourages his Levi Strauss security staff to create their own leadership experiences in everyday life, noting that the political dynamics of the corporate world aren't always conducive to a good learning environment. He advises CSOs to encourage their people to "look for opportunities to practice leadership in the community. Whether it's with a nonprofit, serving on the city council or on a board of directors, those experiences will broaden their horizons," says Saenz. It's no different than learning any other kind of activity or skill; the key is practice. "I take a piano lesson every Saturday," he says, "and if I don't practice, it's not a lot of fun when I see the teacher. But if I work a little bit every day, then next time I sit down with the teacher, I'm ready to move on to another level."

Finally, to develop their leaders, CSOs can focus on the growing number of educational programs springing up that address the needs of would-be security executives. Programs like the ISMA Leadership course at Georgetown are building their syllabi around the future skills that will be essential for CSOs. Encouraging active membership in groups like ISMA and ASIS, and the continued pursuit of appropriate certifications can also ensure that your staff keeps learning and developing the right skills for the future. (For more on education, see "Feather Your Nest," Page 40.)Create AccountabilityIf it hasn't occurred to you already, leadership development is almost a full-time job in itself. Even CSOs who are serious about succession planning acknowledge that it's often difficult to find time to stay on top of it. Saenz tries to meet once a month with each of his direct reports to check in with them, although sometimes his workload makes that impossible.

At Wells Fargo, Wipprecht's biggest complaint about the company's succession planning and Talent Review process is the time it takes to get through what he calls the bureaucracy. He has to assess each direct report, his current abilities as a security agent and what he needs to do in the next year to move up in the management hierarchy. The Talent Review then informs the succession plan. "It takes a lot of time," says Wipprecht. "I have to think about each individual, what he does well and what we can give him to create a better organization one year from today."