Tool #1: Types of Leave and Important Elements of Leadership Transition
(See Case Study Page 6)
Tool #3 guides an organization in identifying which elements of a successful transition plan
may need more consideration due to an organization’s size and maturity and the type of leave
being planned for. This matrix can be used to focus efforts by identifying first, which box your
organization falls in, and second, designing a transition plan that addresses the components
highlighted in that box. This matrix was created by using elements drawn from the case studies
as well as from reviews of literature on leadership transition.
Type of
Size of Organization
Leave
Small
Large
Maturity of Organization
Young
Old
Communication plan
Internal
Organizational
Acting leadership
with external
communication
capacity
roles and
stakeholders
Acting leadership
responsibilities
External
Knowledge bench on
communication
operations
Acting leadership
More prescriptive
knowledge
roles and
responsibilities
Emergency
Organizational
roles and
planning and
Connections with
Role of Board
responsibilities
processes (e.g.,
community
specific email drafting
stakeholders / partner
Operational
Funder/external
announcement of
organizations
knowledge
stakeholder outreach
leadership transition)
duplication
and communication
(e.g., individuals who
need specific
communication)
Operational
Specific initiatives
Operational
Need for visionary
knowledge transfer
to finish prior to
knowledge transfer
leadership
Onboarding
Plan provides
leaving
Onboarding
Funder transitions
Contractual
process of
New leader to build
and key stakeholder
leadership change
organizational
New leader to build
relationships
organizational
for the long-term
structure, culture,
and operations
Communication
around leadership
shift.
structure, culture,
and operations
Operational
Endings for leader
knowledge
transfer-degree of
operational
Planned
(Retirement)
Operational
Need for visionary
knowledge transfer
leadership
Onboarding
Plan provides
Onboarding
redundancy
Preparation of staff
for change in
New leader to build
leadership change
Onboarding
leadership
organizational
for the long-term
New leader to build
Board preparedness
organizational
structure, culture,
and operations
process of
structure, culture,
and operations
Need to celebrate
for transition
history and
management
acknowledge past
in order to move
forward