Work Matters: Business Development - Time to play 'musical managers'
Sarah Steel, director of the Old Station nursery group
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A well-run nursery should be able to cope with the logistical issues when a member of the team goes on maternity leave, and even create opportunities for others around it, says Sarah Steel, managing director of the Old Station nursery group.
This month my mind has been focused on succession planning. In a business where many of our key staff are young women, I am sure that many of you share my dread when you get the phone call from an excited employee who says, 'I just wanted to let you know ... I'm pregnant'. After several years of this, I can now manage to make sure that my first words are 'Congratulations! That's fantastic news', while actually thinking 'Oh no, not another one'!
Of course, as a mother myself, I fully understand what great news this is and how excited they must be. However, for a business owner, it does leave a potential gap in my team.
As maternity leave has increased to 12 months, the problems have become more acute and it can be difficult to recruit someone new for just a year. Or, if you can find someone internally to 'act up' for a year, they understandably may be looking for a permanent position at the end of that year. At least with several nurseries near to each other, we are often able to play 'musical managers' and move staff to fill new vacancies, which does have the advantage of keeping talent in-house.
However, in order to have a supply of would-be managers, and senior staff at each level, it is vital to have some sort of succession plan. Surely it is the sign of a good leader, that he or she takes pride in 'growing' their own team and encouraging them to move on.
All too often, people in senior positions can be tempted to hang on to knowledge, and therefore power, in the mistaken view that this will keep them at the top and therefore irreplaceable. In truth, any well-run organisation must function just as well without any one individual, with a stream of enthusiastic juniors looking to show their strengths when required.
As an ex-Army officer, I was indoctrinated with the great concept used in the military of 'mission command'. Everyone within the organisation should know exactly what the aim of the commander is, and can then carry on with this regardless of what happens to the boss. Fortunately, life within the childcare sector may be hazardous at times, but is not quite in the same league as patrolling in Helmand Province.
However, I enjoyed testing my theory when I (most unfortunately) got stuck in Cyprus for an extended Easter holiday, courtesy of the Iceland volcano. Life within The Old Station Nursery carried on so seamlessly without me, I am just booking my next trip away!
Next month's business development column will be written by Karen Walker, director of Children's Place nursery chain.
