Not about who next GM is, but employee advancement

By Greg Ellison

(Feb. 4, 2021) The Ocean Pines Association’s succession planning process for general manager and personnel hierarchy, which was launched last fall, is being revamped based on consultant feedback.

Succession planning began last September, with additional comments coming in recent weeks from Sibson Consulting, Director Dr. Colette Horn said.

“We are incorporating that feedback into a revision,” she said.

Frank Daly

Horn, along with board members Camilla Rogers and Frank Daly, are conducting a related work group.

Horn acknowledged that so far only one internal candidate had entered the process to be considered for general manager.

The sole applicant reportedly withdrew their name from consideration this week.

“We don’t have a lot of people coming out of the woodwork wanting to jump into this process,” she said.

Horn also said pending revisions to the succession planning process are not related to recruitment matters.

“It’s not because we haven’t gotten interest and it’s not because we’re trying to attract more candidates,” she said. “It’s because we’re trying to develop a good process.”

Daly is chairing the succession planning work group, according to Horn.

“Frank is chairman of the workgroup because recruitment of executives is his field,” she said. “He is driving the process, but I’m doing the mechanics.”

Daly said the board is restricted from discussing personnel issues or identifying candidates evaluated.

“Its not position-specific or person-specific,” he said. “It’s important to understand the whole idea of this thing is to develop level one and level two employees to enhance their careers.”

He said the goal is to empower association employees to advance by identifying areas of strength and weaknesses.

“We’re always working with people to make them more productive … and to feel more accomplished in the work they’re doing,” he said.

Daly said the succession planning process goes beyond finding candidates for general manager, and that professional development of personnel is part of the program.

“They’re working with level two [staff] to move up,” he said. “In some cases employees may not be interested in moving to the next level … but may be interested in improving their skillset so that they can do something else or do what they do better.”

Horn said no timetable has been set to implement the process.

“The next step is for me to share with the board my suggestions how it should be incorporated,” she said. “Then [the workgroup] will come up with a draft for the board to review.”

Horn said the consultants took a different perspective on the succession planning effort.

“It wasn’t as developed as it needs to be was the feedback we received,” she said. “We thought we had a decent … and well-thought-out process, but they felt otherwise.”

Daly said Viola has provided no indication if he would be interested in remaining as general manager beyond his current contract.

“It’s June of 2022 that his contract expires,” he said. “If John wants to extend I would be personally the happiest guy in Ocean Pines.”

Horn said with more than a year remaining on Viola’s contract, time is not of the essence.

Daly also added there are few, if any, reasons to rush evaluations.

“We’re not in any jeopardy whatsoever,” he said. “It’s a forward-looking process.”