Succession

In Summary

Whenever a ministry is replacing its top leader, it is critical for the board to have in place an effective succession plan. This is going to require an extensive candidate process with much evaluation and assessment with several layers of due diligence along the way.

Even though all of this is necessary, the board must keep one supreme dynamic in mind. Any candidate for the office of president for GTN must recognize it as a calling, not a career move.

Even though a candidate excels in all areas of evaluation and in all identified qualifications – that does not verify that they are called. The calling comes from God. The evaluation verifies their current abilities.

In choosing the next president, the board must bear witness to the “call of God” on someone’s life to accompany the character and abilities of God for the position.

Another reality to consider is: To be thoroughly equipped for leadership is a large order. The next president of GTN (if he/she has any maturity) will answer the call of God with full knowledge that their competence is incomplete. Natural gifts have to be refined by executive experience and professional skills have to be tested against the demands of critical incidents. No one can fully relate to what it is like or understand the pressures they will face being the president of an international missions organization until they actually experience it. Personal ambition and professional preparation seem to have a tendency of racing ahead of one’s spiritual development.

To not expect a major learning curve for the new president would be unreal and irresponsible on the part of the board and the ministry staff. Dr. David McKenna once made this statement, “Competence is not a gift given in a moment. Nor is it the result of a hypothetical learning experience to prepare us for the future. Until we experience the suffering that goes along with obedience, we learn nothing.”

The Bible declares in Proverbs 11:14 and 24:6 that in a multitude of counselors there is safety. A good succession plan will help put these scriptures into practice. But it is important to remember that at the end of the day, it is the Holy Spirit that is the “equipping agent” of all leaders who are going to experience God’s empowerment for the task.

Developing a Process

For any ministry to be generational, the time will come for a new president to be selected. To help prepare for this day, the following steps are needed:

An annual assessment of the current president’s health (mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual), and future plans should be evaluated by the governance committee as a part of the president’s annual appraisal process.
There should be a succession plan in place 3-5 years ahead of when a possible or probable appointing of a new president is required.
The president shall provide two separate succession plans to address any immediate absences. The plans will include the following:

Plan A. Temporary Absence (up to the end of 90 days.)

If it is assumed by the President and/or by the Executive Officers of GTN that the President will possibly be absent from the President’s daily duties for a period up to six months, the Executive Director will temporarily assume these duties as head of the ministry until the President’s return.

If any major decisions need to be made during the President’s absence, the enactment of those decisions must have the full approval of the Executive Officers. The Executive Officers working with the Executive Director will determine what is classified as a major decision. All operations are to be carried out in accordance with the Mission, Vision, or Core Values statements of Go To Nations. Any changes of these statements are beyond the authority of the Executive Director and the Executive Officers, and require board approval.

If the temporary absence of the President becomes prolonged beyond the three months, the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors, with the assistance of the President’s Member Care Counselor (PMCC), along with the collaboration of the Executive Staff Officers are to evaluate the situation to determine the current President’s ability to function. If it is determined that the President lacks the ability to continue in the position of President, then, Plan B goes into effect.

Plan B. Permanent Absence

Besides the standard Succession Process that is described in the Board of Director’s Operational Handbook, there is wisdom in documenting the current President’s recommendations based on the ministry’s current state in case of the permanent absence of the President. This is accomplished through the President’s Succession Recommendation Statement that is to be filed with the Executive Officers in a confidential matter.

A president’s search shall begin when the full board charges a search committee with the responsibility to organize and manage the search process by appointing a search chair, commissioning a search committee, and approving the search plan. All committee recommendations or actions should be confirmed or acted upon by the full board.

Overseeing President Selection

Go To Nations (GTN) and any other ministry can write its history in chapters named for its leaders. Whether the era of a leader is short or long, a success or a failure, there is an imprint that will not go away.

For good reason, then, when the board of GTN faces the task of finding its next president/CEO, its members have come to a defining moment when the destiny of the ministry is in their hands, as such, board members are “fate holders” as well as stakeholders in the future of the ministry.

The extra responsibility weighs down when the board realizes that the search is so selective and the top prospects are so few. Add the fact that most boards are unprepared for leadership transition and at a loss to know how to conduct the search.

However, the board cannot delegate its responsibility for the quality of the process and the selection of the new president to the out-going president or a search consultant. Even though the incumbent president may possibly be a tremendous help in identifying the successor, it must be clear that the sole responsibility and authority for the election of GTN’s new president belongs to the board. Therefore, it is critical for every board member to understand the selection and approval process, approve of the process, and help maintain oversight over the process.

Appointing a Search Chair

In order to confirm the authority and oversight of the board, the search chair should be a member of the board itself. The question usually arises, “Should the chair of the board be the chair of the search committee?” There is no exact answer, but the preference is normally that the board chair should not be the search chair.

Along with the appointment as search chair goes the charge to:

Preside over the search
Assure the integrity of its
Officially represent GTN in negotiations with
Lead the committee to an affirmation recommendation to the board for the election of the CEO.

Appointing a Search Committee

The committee should be made up of the search chair, equal number of members of the board to an equal number of the Executive Staff Officers of GTN. For example, if the committee is made up of seven members, that number should include three board members, three executive staff officers with the search chair as the seventh member. If one of these executive staff officers is considered as a possible candidate, that officer will be dismissed from the search committee, along with one board member serving on the search committee.

The incumbent president does not serve on the search committee, but should be briefed by the search chair regularly and be used to provide assistance in assessing candidates.

It is crucial for the search committee to value the input of the executive staff officers for two main reasons:

1) They will bring a greater understanding of the inner workings and demands of the ministry on a level which the average board member will not possess.

2) It is extremely important for the incoming president to have the current DNA and carry the ministerial cultural understanding of the organization. That means, it almost becomes essential for the new president to come from “within.” Any other scenarios would be rare. This person from “within” would have demonstrated a high level of commitment to GTN and have served in a way that has demonstrated competency, confidence, and commitment to the cause of GTN. No one would know who possesses these qualities more than the executive staff officers.

All committee members and the incumbent president should be bonded to a pledge of confidentiality concerning the whole succession process.

The charge to a search committee and members is to:

Attend all special committee meetings.
Make your role on the committee a spiritual calling.
Participate fully in the discussions.
Contribute to civil discourse.
Review and rate candidates according to an established leadership profile.
Seek the mind and leading of God in the final decision to present a candidate to the board.

Maintaining Ministry Identity

When determining who will be the next president of GTN, it is important for the board to maintain the God-given identity of the ministry. This transition time is when the board needs to step back and affirm its foundational convictions, strategic priorities and leadership expectations. Core issues like “Who we are,” and “What GTN is called to do,” must be protected. For this to happen, the board needs a clear sense when it comes to the following:

Historical Commitments: GTN continues to stand and build on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. This memory of GTN’s history has helped shape the ministry’s character. In a post-modern age, GTN needs to honor that memory without letting it become a deterrent to change. During the process of selecting a new president, the selection process serves best when it reflects on the memory that has shaped the past, imprints the present, and influences the future.

Theological Convictions: GTN holds beliefs that are biblically grounded, theologically defined, and practically implemented. The board must make sure these beliefs are not lost through the leadership of the new president. Bylaws, Articles of Faith and Statement of Faith should be reviewed by candidates and agreed upon.

Missional Philosophy: Missional philosophy is maintained when GTN stays focused on its calling with a high set of values and standards. In the midst of competitive marketing power, the president of GTN must not resort to radical shifts in missional philosophy to simply qualify for government funding, competitive marketing, and public acceptance. (The Core Values Handbook, Wildfires to Movements 40-year history book and documentary should be reviewed to assure the candidates understand and that they value the Mission, Vision and Core Values of GTN.)

In most cases, it will require the assistance of the incumbent president to clarify these points simply because the president serves as the visionary leader of GTN, not the board.

Four Primary Qualifications

GTN qualifications for president differ from secular organizations in three distinct ways:

APOSTOLIC CALLING: The calling of an apostle is essential to this role and should be clear, both in confession and fruit of the candidates, with a track record of their leadership as an apostle. (Rick Renner’s book, Apostles and Prophets, can be referenced for criteria of apostles.) A true apostle will recognize the value of the 5-fold ministry and ensure that he/she is surrounded by a prophetic leader(s) and other apostles, and that the leadership team acknowledges, values and empowers pastoral, evangelical and teacher mantles within the leadership team.
CHARACTER: Character is foundational for presidential candidacy in GTN. Candidates should be asked questions about character that range from moral and ethical integrity in professional / ministry relationships to moral purity in personal relationships. A good reputation both inside and outside the ministry reveals character that has stood the test of public scrutiny. A list of questions should be created by the Selection Committee that gives adequate attention to this section. Reference checking becomes a trust-and-verify process that probes the key questions and asks for examples. Direct questions should be asked such as:
- Does the candidate have moral and ethical integrity in all past professional relationships?
- Does the candidate have moral and ethical integrity in all personal relationships?

Any hesitation or reservations in the responses to these questions throw up yellow flags and will require further explorations into character issues.

COMPETENCE: Determining the competency level of GTN’s president or future president, the process is driven by responsibilities rather than results. When evaluating the competency level of a secular organization, it normally boils down to including vision for planning, strategy for organizing, teamwork for staffing, delegation for directing, collaboration for coordinating, feedback for reporting, and accountability for budgeting. All of these are positive, but the bottom line is that results are still the driving force for the secular model of executive leadership.

The president of GTN is not exempt from an assessment of performance based on results. But this cannot be the driving force. In the biblical model of leadership, Christ’s disciples are only called to be obedient to the means of ministry and leave the results to the work of the Holy Spirit.

When we talk about competencies for the GTN president, we should think about calling related to vision, wisdom related to systems, purity related to motive, self-giving related to people, prayer related to power, conviction related to decisions, compassion related to conflict, sacrifice related to reconciliation, stewardship related to resources, and humility related to outcomes, without losing sight of the big picture. These are virtues that move us toward the most significant difference in the criteria for selection of the president.

SPIRITUALITY: When examining the qualifications for Christian leadership in Acts 6:3-4, it points out three criteria: a good reputation, practical wisdom, and a Spirit-filled life. A Spirit-filled life is the witness to the power, purpose and passion of a personal Pentecost seen in the fruit of the Spirit in an individual.

The selection of the next president should advance from Apostolic Calling, Character and Competence to the evidence of a mature Spirit-filled life.

The greatest tool for success is the intimate relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, which leads to spiritual maturity and the evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Here are some invaluable questions to ask candidates or the people who are submitting references for the candidates.
- Do you, as a candidate, demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit-filled life through:
  - Love – sacrificing self for the needs of other?
  - Joy – communicating a sense of inner gladness?
  - Peace – remaining poised under pressure?
  - Patience – moving fast, but never in a hurry?
  - Kindness – welcoming anyone and everyone with grace?
  - Goodness – acting without ulterior motives?
  - Faithfulness – making good every promise and every word?
  - Gentleness – handling authority and power with humility?
  - Self-control – disciplining natural impulses and desires?

Leadership Profile

A leadership profile paints a picture of what the board is looking for in the next president. It should describe the spiritual foundation, character, attributes, skills, experience, and educational background desired. The board is responsible to construct a leadership profile and approval it. The incumbent president (if available) could be valuable help in this area.

Here is a list of possible points to consider:

Spiritual Foundation:

Functions in the Office of an Apostle
High appreciation for the 5-fold ministry, the Church, and the whole body of Christ
Doctrinally sound
Must acknowledge the Presidency as a calling
Student of the Word of God
Led by Holy Spirit
Committed to closure of the Great Commission

Character / Attributes:

High integrity
Visionary characteristics
Maturity to handle varying, sensitive situations
People-oriented
A commanding presence in events
Clean, attractive appearance
Family is in order

Skill Sets:

Good people skills
Strong leadership skills
Effective fundraiser
Ability to lead in a team setting
Cross-cultural skills, preferably speaks a second language
Strong in organizational skills and oversight
A comprehensive understanding of finances
Sound verbal skills, especially in the pulpit
Good written communication skills

Experience:

Field missions experience with Go To Nations (field or extensive short-term experience
Working knowledge/understanding of the history, philosophy, and strategies of GTN
Working knowledge of the World Headquarters.
Has the recommendation of the Executive Officers.

Educational Background:

A college or seminary degree of some description – preferably a masters or doctorate in missions
An historical and contemporary understanding of missions work and strategies
Demonstrated commitment to life-long learning

The Compensation Issue

Since its inception, a high percentage of GTN’s executive level leaders have been on missionary status and required to raise their own financial support through developing a missionary support team just like the GTN missionaries serving overseas. This has been especially true for the office of the president. Even though the board has officially set a guaranteed salary level for the president, in reality, the president has carried the responsibility of personally raising that salary.

This kind of financial set-up can pose a major challenge when dealing with succession, because the current ministry budget has no financial provision for a salary or any benefits to offer presidential candidates. This would require all candidates to either be on missionary support status already, or be willing to raise personal support.

Even if the candidate is willing to raise support, the office of the president also has some responsibility to raise funds for the general budget of the ministry. Doing both takes a special person.

Developing a List of Candidates

Ideally, the search process begins with a selective list of candidates already identified with the ministry or who have been recognized for their leadership potential within the scope of the ministry. This would include possible candidates from the executive team of the World Headquarters, regional and national field directors, field project leaders, highly involved donors to the ministry, and networking ministries.

Broader consideration might be necessary, but not encouraged without an exhaustive search within the organization first. If the search committee chooses to cast a public net for qualified candidates, the leadership profile can be used along with an application process to make this possible.

While a public application process is very helpful and needed, it will not address some areas of sensitivity for certain possible candidates. For example, a public application for the Office of the President may undermine the current position the candidates hold. Since they will not apply using the public application process, special provision for these cases should be considered.

Secondly, internal candidates pose a special challenge to the search committee. No one should be blocked out of the search due to current position within the ministry. Everyone is open to become a candidate for the president’s position.

An internal candidate comes to the search with both an advantage and a handicap. The advantage is that the person knows the ministry and may be known by the members of the search committee. At the same time, this advantage has the handicap of highly personalized judgments about the person’s qualifications for the position. The search committee needs high level diplomacy when the individual is a mismatch for the position. Even higher level diplomacy is needed when the individual is a favorite son or daughter of the constituency.

The Preliminary Application

Any prospect that shows interest is invited to respond by submitting four items of personal information:

1 LETTER OF INTEREST: Based upon qualifications that match the Leadership profile.

2 STATEMENT OF FAITH: Consistent with GTN’s doctrinal position.

3 PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESUMÉ: Profiling background information and previous experience.

4 REFERENCES: Six total, three from professional/ministerial colleagues, and three from personal friends. One of the six references must be from the candidate’s pastor.

Selection Process

The search committee shall establish an application process with different levels of due diligence

Level One: Review of all applications and rating of applicants
Level Two: Check references
Level Three: Telephone interview
Level Four: Personal interview
Level Five: Selecting the finalists
Level Six: Second interview
Level Seven: Final recommendation to the Board of Directors