Successful business handovers – Guiding a management transfer professionally

In the future, the transfer of management responsibility will be an important issue for many companies. Annually 27.000 enterprises are looking for successors. I have already guided and implemented this process within my own family business. Meanwhile, finding suitable candidates increasingly becomes difficult regarding the ongoing demographic change and lack of specialists. For this reasons it is highly necessary to sensitize companies, on an executive level, in terms of succession arrangements. From my point of view, handing over a business means simply more than an advanced heritage.

Based on my own experience, I really like to take the task of guiding and leading business handovers successfully. As I took over my parents’ business and was working for a leading German car manufacturer myself, the challenges people and organizations face are quite familiar to me. Today, I guide people following the same path by supporting them as a passionate consultant.

The “company succession programme” I currently conceptualized is based on various modules which involve and challenge the senior heads of business as much as their successors. The programme starts with a day of coaching at the company facilities. During this outset all concerned parties are encouraged to discuss the particular situation of succession and to reconcile the process of the business transfer. At this stage we also assess the successor’s potential and elaborate his or her customized development plan. The programme then includes skill-based training modules, practical experience and exercise, as well as individual coaching sessions over a period of 24 months. This tailor made approach ensures that all competencies necessary for successful entrepreneurship are developed. Moreover, the holistic concept guarantees a sustainable business strategy that is supported by all concerned parties and stakeholders. The “company succession programme” is concluded with the certification of the company successor.

Thinking about a successor, becoming aware of his own responsibilities, creative possibilities and the courage to face all future business challenges, makes me proud to be a part of this programme.

 

A contribution by:
Rainer Schulz
Consultant at TCJG

Consultant Profile as PDF