Transition and Succession — Norman Nakanishi

In August of 2022, I concluded a nearly 28-year run at leading a church I founded and handed it off to a next generation of leaders. During that time, it grew to 3500 in weekly worship attendance gathered in 350 small groups while giving birth to new locations and churches. I then transitioned into a new role as Executive Expansion Pastor with oversight of helping younger pastors start new locations, plant new churches, and grow in their leadership. Serving as a mentor and coach to younger leaders in existing works also became part of the package. This all meant I came under the authority of leaders that used to answer to me. In other words, I was no longer the boss and I would now answer to them. It wasn’t the only transition I have navigated but without question the most significant.

The truth is everyone goes through transitions in life, work, and ministry. Usually that involves succession in some form. Often, that means someone replaces you after you’ve prepared them to do what you’ve been doing. At the same time, you’ve been preparing yourself to do something else. The entire process can be quite a journey but a necessary one because life consists of seasons and no season lasts forever. The worst thing that can happen is getting stuck while frustrating emerging leaders around you and stalling out the ministry or organization. The least desirable transition is when others have to move you out because you are unwilling to move yourself on.

Here are suggestions for transitions and successions taken from my own personal experience. Please consider this a description and not a prescription. That said, let’s dive in.

START PONDERING OVER AND PRAYING FOR POSSIBLE SUCCESSORS EARLY ON.

Discount nothing and discount no one because people and context changes over time.
Candidates that look promising when the work is smaller may not be the best fit when the work becomes larger.
Consider prophetic words that have been spoken prior because nothing beats God’s point of view. The shepherd boy David didn’t look like much when God first revealed that he would one day be king.

OBSERVE POSSIBLE CANDIDATES AS TIME EVOLVES, ADDING TO YOUR CANDIDATE LIST AS GOD LEADS.

With the passage of time people either develop and mature, or plateau and regress. Never lock people into a seasonal snapshot, because growth is ongoing and fluid.
The person who looks like a misfit early on may appear to be a solid fit later on.
Conversely, the person who likes a great fit early on may turn out to be less of a fit later on.

START WALKING WITH AND WORKING WITH POTENTIAL SUCCESSORS.

Connect regularly on a personal basis to establish genuine connection through meaningful conversation.
Remember that as you disciple potential successors the adage holds true: discipleship is relationship.
Tend to both the health of their soul as well as the development of their skill.
Aim for the impartation and transfer of your heart. This usually happens in settings that are up close and personal.
Share ministry assignments and tasks, then take time to debrief and discuss.
During leadership transitions, there is a time when the load is shared, and both present and future leader touch the leadership baton together (as seen in the picture above).
A take off on leadership icon John Maxwell’s familiar progression works well:

I do you watch, we discuss.
We do together, we debrief.
You do, I coach, we debrief.
You restart the cycle with your own potential successor.

Out of your list of candidates, the best choice will eventually emerge.

HONESTLY ASSES THE STATE OF YOUR SOUL AND SEASON OF LIFE WITH PRAYER, REFLECTION, AND COUNSEL TO DISCERN TIMING.

Examine your level of passion, energy and health while considering the realities of your age.
Cautionary maxim: Just because you still can do your job well doesn’t necessarily mean you should still keep doing it.
Discern leadership seasons through God’s eyes, seek wise counsel and do what is best for the overall health of the church or organization. Avoid the temptation to do what seems best just for you.
Periodically ask yourself these questions: “How long should I stay in my position so that the greater long term good can be both served?” “With training, could someone do the job better and go longer?” “When should I transition so that I can still be at my best for my next role and next season?”
Then ask yourself the question again and tell yourself the honest truth this time because the first answer is sometimes not the correct one. Our soul and ego normally defaults to resisting change.
If you feel peace to continue, then be at peace. Moving forward, let God’s peace guide you. At least you asked the question, and exercised self awareness - always a healthy beginning.

DECIDE WHAT YOU WILL DO IN YOUR NEXT SEASON.

Will you remain to serve in another capacity or will you exit altogether?
If you think you will exit, prepare financially in advance because often the main reason leaders hold on is for financial security.
That said, sometimes a leap into “next” should happen regardless because every change requires faith.
Remember: the safest place to be in every season is in the center of God’s will regardless of the discomfort that accompanies change. Holding on to what is safe and comfortable may stonewall the perfect will of God.
Discerning your “next” involves a convergence of your passions, past experiences, life themes, primary strengths and open doors. There are other aspects to be sure but that will be the focus of another write up.

GENERATE A LIST OF QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS YOUR SUCCESSOR WILL NEED TO DO THEIR JOB WELL.

To find what you’re looking for you need to know what you’re looking for.
Begin with character requirements because people lead first out of who they really are on the inside.
Most leadership failures can be traced back to flaws in the soul/character of a leader that was either ignored or camouflaged.
Profile the specific skills and abilities needed.

CRAFT A SHORT LIST AND ENVISION EACH CANDIDATE SERVING IN YOUR ROLE.

The power of rehearsed imagination can foster clarity when evaluating candidates.
In fact, mentally and emotionally rehearse letting go before you actually do let go.
This will help ease you into the eventual transition because you’ve first practiced the coming reality internally.

SEEK INPUT FROM TRUSTED OTHERS ON THE INSIDE.

Seek the input, counsel and perspective of members and stakeholders within your church or organization who who have its best interests in mind.
These are influencers who tend to be guided less by emotion and more by principle because they see the bigger picture.
Ask for the unvarnished truth and assure them they will be helping you and not offending you.

SEEK INPUT FROM TRUSTED OTHERS ON THE OUTSIDE.

You often don’t know what you don’t know because you are too close to something that is too dear to you.
Fresh eyes offer the gift of objective perspective so consult with people you respect who have gone through the journey of transition and succession. In my case, I consulted with several people beyond my leadership level who have walked this path before. Scripture in Proverbs encourages the input of many advisors (Proverbs 15:22). If not that, settle for a handful.
Take notes and converge all the input received. Evaluating best practices will more easily reveal the transition approach that best fits both you and the bigger picture.
Find someone you trust and have them act as a primary coach to guide you through the process while monitoring the journey of your soul. Skillful transitions are both strategic and emotional.

DEVELOP A TIMELINE AND AIM FOR A SPECIFIC TRANSITION DATE.

Without at least a specific aspirational date, there will be no goal, and where there is no goal transition and succession can be delayed indefinitely to the detriment of the people. (Consider Proverbs 29:18)
Set a date, and if something unexpected triggers a delay, reset and be sure to set another date. Leaving things open ended, nebulous and vague can compromise and even terminate the process.

HAVE A TRANSITION MOMENT TO COMMISSION YOUR SUCCESSOR AND BRING CLOSURE TO YOUR TENURE.

Realize that both you and the people will need closure.
Moving forward and moving on can then take place in a healthier more expedient manner.
The transition moment should focus on the new leader and the future while recognizing the importance of the past.
If and when appropriate, have an altogether separate moment to honor the outgoing leader and past accomplishments.

INCLUDE AND AGREE UPON A SEASON OF PRIVATE POST-TRANSITION MENTORING

Cover but don’t hover: resist the urge to become a helicopter mentor, coach or controller.
Offer encouragement constantly and be careful not to meddle but don’t pull back on tough conversations when necessary.
Listen well, lecture less and frame perspectives. Ask questions to draw out insights your successor has been processing.
Quite often successors already know the answers because they are competent and just need echoes of confirmation.
Coach for progression not perfection and back off as time goes on. Everyone learns from making mistakes and new leaders must be allowed to learn from their own in a climate of fail-safe acceptance.
Remember they must lead out of who they are, not who you are.

OBSERVE HEALTHY BOUNDARIES THAT WILL ALLOW YOUR SUCCESSOR TO OPERATE WITHOUT THE DISCOMFORT OF YOUR SHADOW.

Should you continue with the leadership team in some other capacity, practice intentional absence to establish and affirm confidence in your successor’s authority.
This is important because people you’ve led for a long time will be used to your voice.
Initially, drop in periodically to observe, share feedback, show care, support and encouragement.
As time goes on, wean your presence so the people can readily bond to their new leader in a deeper way.
The longer you’ve been there the less you should be there.

PUBLICLY AND CONSISTENTLY ENDORSE AND AFFIRM YOUR SUCCESSOR.

This will work wonders in getting the people you’ve led to more quickly believe in the leader you’ve groomed.
Echo compliments and affirmations people share about your successor.
Don’t delight in comments of comparison that communicate a preference for your past style of leadership. Politely redirect well meaning followers towards believing in and supporting their new leader.
Remember that adjustments take time and it will be normal for mistakes to be made.

Truth be told, effective transitions are done poorly more often than we’d like to admit. There is no judgment in that because the struggle is real, people are human and I for one am very familiar with it. Nevertheless they are necessary to ensure organizational longevity and a healthy legacy. Every generation of leaders must walk this path and leave something of permanent value behind. And every one of us stands on the shoulders of the generation that led before us.