My primary work is with Senior Pastors as they transition from their leadership roles. Other key staff leaders also undergo seasons of transition. I currently have two clients within their last two months of primary leadership and have good leavings planned.
Leaving well is a process, an art, and some good marking points. Leadership transitions are critical moments that can significantly impact both the leader departing and the organization they leave behind.
Our approach in our Senior Pastor Smart Succession™ process is to help the church multiply its momentum through the process for the whole church. We have been fortunate in our success rate there. However, an essential part is helping the leader “leave well.”
That is true even if the former leader stays in a future role after stepping down from the prime leader role.
This is also true for many other staff roles at a church.
How can you leave well?
1. Leave a Good Legacy
What do you want remembered? One of your legacies is how you will leave. But most of it occurs before that in your entire tenure where you have served.
However, articulating your key values and contributions helps the whole organization mark the season of one’s leadership.
Make things sustainable. What systems and processes must you document so someone else can implement them? Who are the leaders you can set up for the future?
How can you give input to the training of successors?
In the Senior Pastor Smart Succession Process™, we have a few tools to help with some of these tasks and guidelines. But you can develop some of these yourself.
Spend time with key people in your last seasons. Mentor, coach, and develop talent to carry the culture forward. Move some of the informal to formal processes.
Socialize the learning and processes in a document so that the next leaders and the team can know what has been done and any gaps that might need to be filled.
We even have a kit to help with that.
Promote a Positive Culture: Make the last season your most positive season yet. While these seasons can be heavy in some ways, encourage people to look to the future positively.
Recognize Contributions: Regularly acknowledging team members' efforts and achievements boosts morale and cements a positive view of the leader’s tenure. Make the last season about praising the team more.
Manage Change Compassionately: Leaders must address their departure's emotional and practical implications. Offering support and clarity during the transition minimizes anxiety and preserves good relationships.
Leave on a High Note: The Senior Pastor Smart Succession™ process builds over time to generate momentum. We always want to start on an upswing. During the process there could be a slight slowdown, but as we near the end, we want to build the process to move the congregation emotionally forward.
We build in steps and discuss building a Forward Focus to the future.
This leaves a positive, lasting impression.
We work very hard with boards, staff teams, and key leaders to ensure good terms for the final season in the role. Here are some of the keys and a few components of “Good Terms.”
Transparent Communication: Open discussions about the timing and reasons for departure with key stakeholders prevent rumors and uncertainty. This includes clear communication with the board, employees, partners, and the congregation.
We usually structure a rolling communication plan.
Negotiate Fairly: All terms of the departure should be negotiated fairly and respectfully, considering the interests of both the leader and the organization. There is a whole set of concerns in this arena, but generally, when pastors are treated generously, good things result for all concerned.
Support the Transition: A leader’s support for their successor and the transition process exemplifies pastoral leadership and respect for the organization’s continuity.
4. Good Farewells
As I often say – the more the congregation can express their affection and appreciation for the current leader, the more likely they are to open their hearts to the next leader.
Plan The Celebrations: Organizing a series of farewell events that include all levels of the organization allows for a collective closure and celebration of the leader’s contributions.
Personalized Messages: Personalized farewell messages from the leader can resonate deeply with team members, making the transition smoother emotionally.
The same is true of the reverse—personal notes, video messages, and personal communications from team members or congregants to the leader also pave the way for everyone concerned.
Engage in Meaningful Goodbyes: Meeting individually with colleagues, especially those directly impacted by the leadership change, shows care and respect for the relationships built over time.
Parting Gifts: These also go both ways. Give the leader and their spouse something tangible and beneficial that communicates the recognition they deserve. Likewise, pastors can leave a parting gift with key leaders and staff, even small, to be a tangible reminder of goodwill and remembrance.
Leaving is as important as how one has led over their tenure.
A leader’s departure from an organization is an opportunity to solidify their legacy, ensure the organization's stability, and set the stage for future success. Leaders can exit successfully and memorably by focusing on leaving a good legacy, fostering good feelings, departing on good terms, and orchestrating good farewells. This approach not only enhances their personal and professional reputation but also significantly contributes to the long-term health and performance of the organization they once guided.
This blog post originally appeared on Church Leader Insider. For more information or to subscribe to Church Leader Insider, click HERE.