Succession planning for Dairy cooperatives: manager, plant head and senior secretaries
Many cooperatives find out who their next manager is only on the day the old one retires. A short succession plan names options early and gives them time to learn.
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Share your requirementsWhy succession planning matters in dairy cooperatives
Senior posts in a cooperative tend to be held for long years by people who know the farmers and the board. When one retires or falls ill, the cooperative looks for a replacement in a hurry, and the board may disagree on who should take the post. Knowledge held by the outgoing person goes with him.
A succession plan does not need to be complicated. It lists the few posts that matter most, names one or two possible successors for each, and sets out what each would need to learn. It also records where critical knowledge is held, so it can be shared before it is lost.
How to set it up
1. List the posts that cannot be vacant
Choose manager, plant head, senior society secretaries and anyone who holds unique knowledge of members or machines.
2. Note when each might leave
Record age and service, and ask each person quietly about plans. Treat the information with care.
3. Name possible successors
For each post, list one or two people inside or outside, with their strengths and gaps.
4. Write a development plan for each
Set small, real steps such as acting turns, project work, short courses or shadowing, with a date to review.
5. Capture what the incumbent knows
Ask the outgoing person to write or tell how members, banks, suppliers and the board are handled. See competency and talent management.
Check these first
Before changing anything, find out what is true today. These take an afternoon and use your own records.
- Ask the board who would run the cooperative if the manager left tomorrow.
- See whether any senior post has a named successor with a development plan.
- List the knowledge only one person holds, such as member history.
- Find the next retirement date and compare it with the time needed to prepare a successor.
GullyHR can do this with you. Read how we approach succession planning in general, or share your requirements and we will tell you where to start.
Questions owners ask
The board decides, but the manager should advise on candidates and development. A prepared shortlist makes the board's decision easier and less political.
Start development now, and consider an outside search for the post. An interim arrangement may bridge the gap, with a clear end date.
Present it as protecting the cooperative, not replacing him. Involve him in choosing and teaching the successor and recognise his role in handing over.