7 Lessons that any business can learn from the Vancouver Canucks – Part 6

If you have been diligently following the last 5 days’ of articles you’ll have a really well functioning team (wow you moved fast to implement it that quickly).  Congratulations.

Now real life strikes.  Someone goes off sick at a critical time, someone is headhunted away, someone else falls pregnant.  That throws your perfectly balanced team into disarray.  Or does it?

For most companies (and hockey teams) the answer is yes. To use hockey talk you are well and truly pucked!  The chemistry is lost and, more importantly, roles shift dramatically to fill in the gap.  No-one is happy anymore. Ever!

But not so for every business or team.  What was noticeable about the Canucks over the last 2-3 years was how relatively seamlessly they have been able to promote players from their farm team.  That team, despite play half a continent away are structured and coached to play the same way as the Big Boys.  Therefore when the Canucks need a specific role filling they can pick a player that knows the system and for whom the leap to the NHL is as small a step as it was possible to make it.  It’s not a perfect science but they have done, and continue to do, what can be done to make that leap small.  

They also welcome the new guys with open arms and work to make them feel welcome.  Having an outsider on the inside helps no-one so old hazing and rookie treatment practices are gone.

So as a business owner what is your farm-team policy?  Who are you grooming for a step up well before that is required?  How well are you systematizing the work so that it is easy for someone to backfill or step in?  

Succession plans not only provide security for business operations, they provide hope and prospects to your staff, they provide clarity and accountability and they provide learning opportunities for everyone.  

Once again I highly recommend that all business owners invest in the services of a quality HR professional to help them create and maintain a meaningful succession plan for every role in the business.  Start with the key roles and work from there.

Good luck getting that plan in place.  As ever if you would like to discuss how to implement any of these lessons in your business contact me on 604 339 5369 or leave a comment in this blog.

Tomorrow is the last in the series and we’ll cover “keeping a calm head.”