ATD Chapters

Succession Planning
Toolkit
Updated July 2015
 Succession Planning Toolkit

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 2
STEPS FOR CREATING A SUCCESSION PLAN.................................................... 3
Step 1: Preparation ....................................................................................................... 4
Step 2: Identify Potential Leaders.............................................................................. 7
Step 3: Interview, Select, and Elect ........................................................................... 8
Step 4: Manage Transitions ........................................................................................ 9
Step 5: Monitor, Evaluate, and Update ................................................................... 10
BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CHAPTERS.................................................... 11
TALENT ACQUISITION.......................................................................................... 13
Key Principles in Identifying Talent .................................................................................... 13
Recruiting Volunteers ................................................................................................................ 13
INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES.............................................................................. 15
Selecting interviewers ............................................................................................................... 15
Planning the interview ............................................................................................................... 15
Sample Interview Structure & Questions ........................................................................ 16
DEVELOPING CHAPTER LEADERS .................................................................... 19
Preparing Potential Leaders ................................................................................................... 19
Training Your New Leaders .................................................................................................... 19
ONBOARDING PREPARATION ............................................................................ 20
Resources by Chapter Function .......................................................................................... 20
All Board Positions ..................................................................................................................... 20

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Succession Planning Toolkit

OVERVIEW

Typically, ATD chapter board positions turn over in 1 to 2 years. Therefore, effective and efficient
succession planning is essential for chapter continuity and future success. The succession planning
toolkit has been created by a team of leaders (past and present) from various chapters (big and small)
to help your chapter:
 evaluate its future leadership and talent needs
 identify individuals who can potentially satisfy those needs
 prepare an individual as a potential leader.
This toolkit will help your chapter to develop the bench strength needed to assure that there are
qualified people to pick up the ball when a board member leaves. It provides templates and ideas from
other atd chapters to help your chapter develop its succession plan.
A succession plan is your roadmap to taking charge of the future of your chapter.

What is Succession Planning?

Having the right people, in the right place, at the right time is important to sustaining leadership in ATD
Chapters. Succession Planning involved having the right leadership in place at every level of the
chapter. Succession planning recognizes that some positions serve as the lifeblood of the chapter and
are too critical to be left vacant or filled by less-than-qualified volunteers.
Succession planning is systematic effort and process of identifying and developing candidates for key
chapter leadership position sin order to ensure the continuity of the chapter. For purposes of this
document, the succession planning information and tools provided are intended to help chapters build
a leadership pipeline and bench strength, as well as help with filling vacant positions that are open
due to more immediate circumstances, such as the unexpected resignation of a board member.
An effective succession plan enables chapters to:
 Engage members of the chapter by utilizing their strengths for volunteer positions which grow
the leadership pipeline.
 Build a leadership pipeline/talent pool to ensure leadership continuity.
 Develop potential succesors in ways that best fit strenths.
 Identify the best candidates for positions.
 Clearly define competency requirements along with strategies to develop both existing and
new volunteer leaders to meet these needs.
 Identify and transfer key knowledge and information that might otherwise be lost.
 Ensure that the chapter’s current mission and vision are carried forward by future leaders.

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

STEPS FOR CREATING A SUCCESSION PLAN

Sucesssion Planning is a continuous process that should take place year round in anticipation of the
need to transition roles at the end of each board position term. If done correctly, the chapter will have
a cadre of qualified members who are more engaged in the chapter, understand the chapter’s core
mission, vision, and goals, and are ready to assume board leadership roles.

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Succession Planning Toolkit

Step 1: Preparation
Preparation for succession planning should take place during the chapter’s strategic
planning for the upcoming term. Be sure your chapter has an updated vision and
mission statement and goals for the upcoming term are clearly identified. Being able to
clearly communicate these to potential volunteers and future leaders will help align
people to right roles and key tasks.

Although the entire board should be responsible for succession planning and seeking potential
candidates, a Nominating Committee should be identified to help guide the process. Establish a
timeline for the essential tasks to complete the process. Below is an example of a suggested
timeline for planning activities.

 Note: If your chapter does not follow a calendar year term, adjust accordingly.

Timeframe Suggested Activities

Throughout the  Develop existing leadership team; use team building activities,
Year (ongoing) assessment instruments, and facilitated leadership development
sessions.
 Invite members / potential candidates to join committees where they
can be exposed to chapter operations, communication, and strategies.
 Invite committee members to attend board meetings to expose them to
broader chapter experiences.
 Encourage personal connections among board members and between
the board and prospective volunteers. Learn what motivates
individuals (such as McLelland’s Motivational Styles: Need for Power,
Need for Affiliation, Need for Achievement).
 Include succession planning as a recurring agenda item for discussion
at board meetings.
 Develop smaller, less time consuming “gateway” volunteer
opportunities to consistently develop a new pool of leaders.
January  Engage members in activities and tasks. Hold a strategic planning
session and include a discussion about board development
opportunities, including participation in the ATD Chapter Leaders
Conference (ALC).
 Include participation in ALC for new and/or continuing board members
as a budgeted item.
February Recruit additional members for committees aligned with every board
position.
March  Identify nomination committee chair.
 Begin formal nomination process with a Succession Planning
(Nominating) committee.
April Nomination committee meets to review process, outline communications
strategy, review documents, discuss diversity needs, etc.

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

May Formally communicate to chapter members about specific needs for

volunteer leaders for next year.
Depending on your chapter’s by-laws, some positions may be identified as
multiple year terms and may be continuing. All interested members should
be considered for open positions. Additionally, pay special note to any
specific policies included in your bylaws regarding the notification of
membership and plan accordingly.
June  Nominees are given job descriptions.
 Confirm commitment, qualifications, and expectations with candidates.
July Interview candidates (could be formal interviews or informal
conversations).
August Announce candidates in chapter publications, newsletters and events.
September Members vote on slate of candidates.
October Newly elected candidates can start attending leadership meetings as more
formal members (they may already attend board meetings as key
volunteers or committee members)
New board members attend ATD Chapter Leaders Conference (ALC)
 Note: It should be budgeted in the beginning of the year to send
as many new board members to the conference as fiscally
possible.
November  Retreat for new leadership team (some chapters hold a retreat in
January after the new officers officially join the board)
 Leaders identify potential successors and recruit for committees and
support
 Review job descriptions – align with board strategy and update
 Join ATD – use Chapter Leader Discount & ChIP code
December –  Appreciate, recognize and celebrate accomplishments of current &
January outgoing leaders
 Recognize volunteers (what gets recognized is repeated)
 New officers take oath of office

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

Office Months 1&2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month Month 9

Advertise and Identify Select Announce Hold 7&8 New officers
recruit Candid committee slate of election Onboar insta
candidates ates and candidates and new lled
conduct announce officers
interviews results
PRESIDENT Mentor President
Elect

PRESIDENT- Engage potential Participate as Assist with Lead installation

ELECT
President – Elects needed in onboarding ceremony
all year interviews
Meet with
successor, if
applicable
VP - List open positions Post on website Send out ballot Work 1-1 with
COMMUNICATI
ONS info. on website to membership new leader
Advertise in monthly Engage Ensure job Include in monthly Post outcome
e-newsletter members to description is e-newsletter on website and
assist with ready to e-news
chapter go/updated
communicat
ions
VP - FINANCE Engage a member Work 1-1 with
with financial new leader
activities such as
checking in during
events

VP - Engage members to Work 1-1 with

MARKETING
assist with marketing new leader

VP - Engage members to Work 1-1 with

PROGRAMS
serve on committee new leader
and support on
going programming
idea generation and
logistics

VP - Engage members to Work 1-1 with

TECHNOLOGY
serve on committee new leader

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

Step 2: Identify Potential Leaders

Be sure that position descriptions are accurate, up-to-date, and include key
leadership characteristics for each role. Analyze your membership (and even
potential members) to identify diverse, enthusiastic individuals who demonstrate
commitment to the profession and have attributes and interests that match volunteer
roles.
The strength and caliber of leadership is the bedrock of your chapter’s future.
Chapters with high-performing leadership talent and proactive leadership development strategies are
able to build and sustain a competitive advantage for their future. Identifying the right leaders to take
the reins when the current leadership leaves is a process that requires careful thought and planning.
When embarking on your search for future leaders, consider these elements:
1. Review succession planning objectives and program design – Align the existing leadership
team with the succession planning objectives, and inform/remind them on how succession planning
works at the chapter. This will streamline the process and create greater focus for the leadership
team
2. Identify key areas and key board positions – Make sure that the current board is crystal clear
about the chapter’s succession planning needs, so that the succession planning process is
comprehensive, yet efficient.
3. Update job descriptions – Without accurate job descriptions, the identification of key board
positions in Step 3 will be underleveraged.
4. Analyze the membership – Consider who has served as a volunteer for any chapter efforts in the
past, such as meeting greeters, website administrators, logistics coordinators, or committee
members. Think about who has taken initiative or provided feedback and suggestions in the past.
5. Seek leaders from different organizations representing corporate, non-profit, government
and education – Your chapter will be stronger with diverse perspectives and representation from
your community. Ask…
a. Does our leadership reflect our membership?
b. Do we have leaders from each generation?
c. Do we have balance between male / female?
6. Make a leadership profile – Whether using a leadership assessment instrument for each current
board member, or simply informally assessing talent, the current board will benefit from
understanding where it is strong and where it can develop. Ideally, bringing on talent that
complements and builds upon existing strengths and addresses areas where the board has room
for improvement will strengthen the board and the chapter over the long term.
7. Compare the chapter’s leadership needs with the potential talent of candidates – Understand
how potential talent would fit onto the board. Keep in mind both the immediate needs and the
longer term evolution of the board. Don’t ignore a potential leader just because an immediate need
does not exist. At the same time, don’t just bring on new leaders because they seem to have
personal potential, even though the board does not have need for their type of skill set. Successful
boards often have a diverse composition, such as:
 Balance between internal learning practitioners/leaders AND external consultants
 Creative, innovative minds that can spark new ideas AND strategic, methodical leaders who
can create and execute successfully
 Analytical, detailed people AND affectionate, nurturing people AND assertive, driven people
 Experienced chapter leaders who understand and value the chapter’s history, and know why
certain strategies and decisions have been made AND new chapter leaders who have an
abundance of energy to update and adapt existing practices

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Succession Planning Toolkit

Step 3: Interview, Select, and Elect

This step involves the active recruiting of volunteers and potential leaders. Interview
candidates to identify where their interests, skills, and experience might best serve the
chapter. Discuss the open positions, responsibilities and set realistic expectations and
minimum time commitments. Select candidates as a result of the interviews and
announce the slate of candidates to your members.

The board may choose to conduct formal interviews or informal conversations with each candidate, assessing
his or her abilities to make decisions, solve problems, behave appropriately in sensitive situations, and lead
those who will report to him or her.

Refer to the Additional Tips and Resources section in the Succession Planning Toolkit for tips on the
interviewing process.

Board Approval and the Election Process

After collecting recommendations from the interview team, the choices for officers must be approved by the
chapter’s board of directors.
Many ATD chapters use a nominating committee to implement the election process. Whether the committee
presents a single slate of candidates or a listing of all qualified candidates for each office, the slate should
include only candidates deemed qualified to hold a particular office.
In many chapters, the candidates are voted on by chapter members via paper or electronic ballot. Candidates
are notified that they have been selected and invited to participate in leadership meetings. They often do not
hold a voting role in the first meeting they attend, which may be held toward the end of the year. The purpose
of including newly elected board members is to learn the structure of the meeting and to get up to speed on
issues that may be carried over to the following year. The new board member can also learn from the person
who currently holds his/her role. The meeting facilitator should periodically pause to explain the procedures of
the meeting.

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

Step 4: Manage Transitions

Procedures should be in place to address what needs to happen for smooth
transitions from an outgoing chapter leader to an incoming chapter leader. These
may include what happens at “hand off” time, resources for the new board member,
and a clear timeline of steps in the transition phase.
Refer to the Resources by Chapter Function in the Succession Planning: Additional
Tips and Resources document.
A smooth transition is critical when one leader leaves a position and another takes over. It
ensures that member service will not be disrupted by the change in personnel, and a smooth start
makes it more likely that new volunteers will be successful.
This phase of the succession plan should answer several questions:
 What is the leadership transition schedule? There are many options used by ATD
chapters. When scheduling your leadership transition, consider including the ATD Chapter
Leaders Conference (ALC) is in October. This is an excellent training opportunity for new
leaders. You may want to avoid scheduling time-consuming transition activities during the
busy holiday season in November and December.
 How long will the transition period (the time between the election or appointment of
new leaders and assumption of office) last? Most chapters find that two or three
months are sufficient.
 Who will train and onboard the new leader? Ideally it will be the person being replaced.
If that person is not available, another leader should be assigned. New leaders should
never be left to figure things out solely from printed materials; they need experienced
people to guide them.
 How will the training and orientation be conducted? Usually it's a combination of
formal and informal methods.
The goal is for the new volunteer to come out of the transition period with the knowledge and skills
to perform the leadership role successfully. It should also provide a realistic picture of what the job
entails.
Onboarding and Orientation
Onboarding and an orientation should be conducted to help new chapter leaders become familiar
with the chapter’s mission and objectives and to explain what will be expected of them.
Volunteer onboarding may be a one-on-one conversation between one of the current officers and
an individual volunteer or a formal presentation with all chapter officers and new volunteers. Short
sessions before or after chapter meetings may be most effective because they not only save time,
but also introduce and recognize the new volunteers to other chapter members.
Here are some tips for planning the orientation:
 Have written goals for the orientation
 Provide a history and fact sheet on your chapter, including chapter bylaws
 Include a fact sheet on whom to contact for various needs and questions
 Plan an event that makes the volunteer feel good about becoming involved
 Keep the written materials simple and inexpensive—many of those who attend orientation
will never become active volunteers
 Have a task the new volunteers can assist with at that moment, whether it is stuffing
envelopes or helping clean up after the meeting, so that they can immediately contribute.
Refer to the Additional Tips and Resources section in the Succession Planning Toolkit for more
tips on Training And Developing Volunteers.

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Step 5: Monitor, Evaluate, and Update

All key board positions should have succession plans. Key board positions should be
able to be filled quickly with competent replacements. Adjust the plan, address new
issues, and continually revise, as necessary.
 Note: Key positions are identified as President, President-elect, and all VP
level positions. Some chapters refer to these as Officers or Executive board
positions.
After sufficient time following implementation, program processes and results should be
periodically reviewed to assess whether program objectives have been achieved and to identify
areas for improvement. Once the evaluation has been completed, modifications to the program
should be made.
Evaluating the Program:
There are many approaches to evaluating your succession plan with varying complexity.
Measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of programs may range from simple methods such
as a member satisfaction survey to more sophisticated processes, such as a return on investment
or cost-benefit analysis.
At minimum, a debriefing meeting should be held to answer questions including: What went well?
What went wrong? What could be done differently? Make suggestions and recommendations for
improving the process so that it runs more smoothly next time. If all goes as planned, the
succession planning process will ensure a smooth transition and new leaders are prepared to
assume roles as chapter leaders.
 Note: This may also be a good time to utilize the Next Level Tool. This will allow you to
identify chapter growth opportunities across all six dimensions that are key to success:
Communication, Community Outreach, Financial, Governance, Membership, and
Professional Development.

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CHAPTERS

There are numerous succession planning best practices that have been created and implemented by
various chapters. For the latest best practices go to the Share Our Success section of the Chapter
Leader Community at: www.td.org/sos. Go to the Administrative category for practices around
Succession Planning.
Here is a summary of the submissions as of July 2015:
Chapter Name of Program Description
Metro DC New Director To address the challenge of having to onboard new
Orientation board members in a relatively short time, the Metro DC
chapter developed a formal board orientation. The
program helped ensure that all board directors received
consistent messaging about the chapter culture, norms,
expectations, and that they could sufficiently navigate
within the chapter's critical software applications.
Rocky Finding a VP The Rocky Mountain Chapter found it challenging to fill
Mountain Finance/Treasurer the role of VP Finance/Treasurer among its membership.
As a result, the chapter contacted the local association of
CPAs to find an experienced finance professional, who
had experience supporting adult learning organizations,
to sign on to the position.
Central Ohio Chapter Operating In an effort to decrease the learning curve when leaders
Procedure and step into new positions and to improve administrative
Leadership continuity, the Central Ohio Chapter codified the
Handbooks chapter's operating procedures and respective board
position responsibilities into a guidebook for easy
reference.
NY Metro Succession Planning After facing repeated challenges filling critical board
Process roles, the New York Metro Chapter took a proactive
approach to its succession planning efforts by creating
and implementing a process that focused on the early
identification and development of future leaders.
Baton Rouge Board Leader The Baton Rouge chapter leaders compiled a binder
Onboarding Binder containing important local and national resources to
facilitate the onboarding process and maintain the
institutional knowledge between outgoing and incoming
board members.
Central Iowa Chapter Leader The chapter leaders at the Central Iowa Chapter created
Onboarding Blog a blog to onboard new board members. As a way to keep
their institutional knowledge from being lost from year to
year, the resources for new board members are now all
available online via the blog.

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Middle Board Succession The chapter created a succession planning process to

Tennessee Planning ensure a full slate of officers to facilitate chapter
leadership. A nominating committee was formed to
actively find prospects and recruit new leaders to the
board. As a result, a successful election was held in
November 2009 and recognition was given to the new
officers at the December chapter meeting.
Baton Rouge Creating Binding Effective January 2007, Baton Rouge chapter leaders
Relationships through were formally installed into their positions in a ceremony
Formal Installation held before the membership. Chapter leaders vow to
Ceremonies continually reference chapter bylaws, focus on and strive
to achieve chapter goals, represent the chapter and the
industry in the community, and abide by the ATD Code of
Ethics.
Sacramento New Volunteer The Sacramento chapter posted ads on Volunteer
Recruiting Match, JobCrank.com, and LinkedIn. The chapter
received over 10 responses and many of those qualified
to interview for open associate positions. Associate
positions are assistants to directors with the intention of
progression into the director’s role the following chapter
year.
Eastern Build and Maintain The Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter restructured the
Pennsylvania Your Board on Solid chapter board, developing new job Descriptions,
Foundations leadership development as part of a yearly action plan,
and a five year strategic plan.
Baton Rouge Leadership Over the past few years, the Baton Rouge chapter
Succession Planning leaders have focused a great deal of attention on
volunteer engagement which in turn grew the leadership
pipeline. The Leadership Succession Planning Guide
was created to assist chapter leadership with knowledge
and commitment transfer.
Puget Sound New Board For several years interest in Board positions has not
Succession been strong enough to allow us to present a competitive
Management Process slate of candidates to our members for a full-chapter
vote. Targeted recruitment of our successors by Board
members produced inconsistent results. This allowed us
to create a new process we hoped would identify, recruit
and fit potential candidates to open Board positions to
more successfully meet chapter needs and individual
skills and preferences.

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 Succession Planning Toolkit

TALENT ACQUISITION

Key Principles in Identifying Talent

STRUCTURE: Establishing a chapter structure that builds levels for new volunteer development and
training is important. Many boards falter in leadership succession when the chapter relies on just a
few key officers to get all the work done. Building a variety of committees, with both short-term
assignments and long-term leadership positions, will help to establish a pipeline of future leaders.
Even in the smallest chapters, board members should delegate some of the work to willing
volunteers, provide training, and communicate to other chapter leaders about jobs well done.
RECORDS: It is helpful to keep records of potential volunteers’ interests, activities, or responsibilities
they have carried out and basic contact information. In fact, strong record-keeping is important for
overall volunteer management. Volunteers should keep accurate records of events, attendees,
members, etc. If accurate records are passed along to new volunteers, less time will be spent
“recreating the wheel” and more time will be spent on developing a vision and meeting goals.
ADDRESS REGULARLY: Discussing succession with volunteers on a regular basis is also
important. Planning with a volunteer how they wish to move up the chapter’s leadership ladder—from
a committee member, to committee chair, to vice president in an area, etc.—is a useful way to help
the volunteer better understand the chapter.

Recruiting Volunteers
When considering members for leadership positions, it is best to identify them using an objective
system instead of just selecting "favorites." One option is for members to self-select into the process.
This way, those already interested in leadership roles will volunteer. Several "hopefuls" should be
identified for each position being filled. This allows potential leaders to be "groomed," trained, and
mentored for the possibility of filling the leadership positions. When the time comes for the position to
be filled, there will be several people from which to choose, all of whom have had time to develop for
the new role. At least one of them may be ready to meet the requirements. Below are suggestions
that ATD chapters have used to gauge interest and select leaders:
 Collect volunteer interest forms from new and renewing members (see sample form below)
 Maintain a list or database of current and potential volunteers, including interests,
experience, and skills
 Hold an annual event to provide information about ATD leadership opportunities (such as a
special chapter meeting, or even an open chapter board meeting that gives interested
members a first-hand look at the work of volunteer leaders)
 Establish suggested pathways to key chapter offices. Distribute these at the leadership
opportunities event
 Invite all members to an annual volunteer recognition event
 Keep lists used by nominating committees; those who were not elected to one leadership
position may be good candidates for another
 Look at volunteers on committees as potential future officers; encourage involvement from
those who have the most potential
 Include both new and experienced members on the chapter board and committees. The
experienced volunteers are likely to become mentors for the new ones.

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Sample Volunteer Form: Find out more information about a member’s skills and interest in
leadership roles.

Volunteer Profile Form

Name:
Address:
Phone (w): (h): (c):
email:
Current company and title:
Time in current job:
Professional Goals
1 to 3 Years:
3 to 5 Years:
Beyond 5 Years:
Educational History

Institution: Degree: Area of Study: Years:

Special Skills/Expertise

Technology:

Professional Expertise:

Other:

ATD Membership

# of years chapter member:

# of years ATD member:

Volunteer Experience - Past 3 Years (list any leadership roles and competencies/skills)

Role 1: Competencies/Skills:

Role 2: Competencies/Skills:

Role 3: Competencies/Skills:

Leadership Interest (Indicate interest you have in chapter leadership roles and in what
capacity)

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INTERVIEWING CANDIDATES

Selecting interviewers
Evaluating the competency and qualifications of volunteers through interviews is often a challenging
task. Good interviewing skills are essential to match a potential volunteer with a task that they will
enjoy and a position where they will perform well. An interview team is an option to break down the
tasks involved with interviewing candidates.

Planning the interview

Interviews are an extremely important step in the screening process. The interview provides not only
an opportunity to talk to the potential volunteer about her background, talents, skills, interests, and
availability, but also to explore any doubts the chapter may have about the suitability of the
candidate. The interviewer should be well prepared, but an interview need not be long or difficult.
When planning an interview, you may want to consider the following:
 Have at least two people from the interview team conduct the interview
 Explain the interview process to the applicant
 Establish a safe environment for the applicant
 Describe the position specifically, using the position description
 Describe the screening procedures of your organization
 Document the applicant’s responses to the questions and keep them on file
 Ask all applicants the same basic questions for consistency
Selecting questions
When selecting questions for an interview, remember that the most revealing questions address
situations that have already taken place. Past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.
The selection of appropriate questions is very important in volunteer screening. Also, remember that
volunteer interviews are subject to the same human rights laws as employment interviews.
Interview questions should encourage responses that allow you to judge:
 Past leadership experiences
 Eagerness to work
 Ability to work with others
 Integrity
 Initiative and judgment
When selecting questions, keep in mind that a volunteer interview should address three themes:
1. Qualifications—This includes evaluating knowledge, skills, and experience that would be
important in fulfilling the role.
2. Fit—This includes determining the interests and abilities of the potential volunteer,
determining her suitability for particular board positions, and assessing the individual’s
“rightness” for the chapter, its style of operation, and its mission.
3. Interest / Commitment—This includes answering any questions or concerns that the
potential volunteer may have and “selling” the volunteer on their ability to make a contribution
to the chapter board and its members, or to derive personal satisfaction from assuming a
leadership role in the chapter.

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Sample Interview Structure & Questions

Introduction
Purpose: to set a comfortable atmosphere and the framework for the interview; feel free to use the
sample introduction verbiage below:

Thank you for speaking with me today about a leadership position with (chapter name).I appreciate
your interest in serving the chapter; please feel free to ask me any questions during our conversation.
I have some questions to ask you that will help us to get a sense of your background and the skills
and talents that you can bring to the position(s) you are interested in. The interview should last about
30-45 minutes. Do you have any questions before we begin?
1. What is your volunteer experience in (chapter name), other chapters, and other volunteer
organizations?
 Looking for experience with the organization and how it’s applicable to the interviewee’s
position(s) of interest.
2. We discussed that you are interested in the positions of ……
Please tell me your understanding of the responsibilities of this (each) role.
How did you learn about these roles?
 Check for clarity and realistic expectations.
 Checking for initiative and commitment.
3. Why are you interested in volunteering for ATD in this position (how does this tie with a
personal/professional development plan/career aspirations)? How would being a leader with
(chapter name) help you fulfill your goals?
 Is this person goal oriented? Are they committed to T&D? Is he/she focused on his/her own
professional development (that’s a big piece of what ATD is all about)? This also lays the
foundation for the next question. Looking for thoughtfulness, fit, and ways to link personal
goals with ATD work.
4. What is your understanding of the time commitment for this (each) role?
 Check for clarity and realistic expectations.
5. How will you manage the added responsibilities of ATD into your work-life balance?
 Explore obstacles together. Don’t necessarily assume that because obstacles exist, the
match is not appropriate.
6. What specific qualifications do you have for this (each) ATD office from your work and
volunteer experience?
 Look for knowledge, skills and experience that are suitable and beneficial for the role being
pursued.
7. What is your vision for this (each) ATD office? What, specifically, do you want to
accomplish next year in the role(s) you are interested in? How would you go about
accomplishing this?
 Look for specific initiatives, changes, new ideas, etc. If candidate is vague, ask him/her to be
more specific. Look for desire to make an impact. Determine if the candidate has given more
than a superficial level of thought to ATD involvement. Look for commitment to the chapter.
Follow-up question: How will you do this?
 Look for understanding of what it would take to achieve this vision.

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8. Tell me about an extensive project you had to manage recently (prefer work or volunteer
work related, rather than personal).
 Check for organizational, planning and execution skills, as well as the ability to learn from
experience.
Follow-up question: What obstacles or unexpected situations did you run into as the project
progressed?
Follow-up question: What did you do when these obstacles and unexpected situations arose?
9. Tell me about a significant impact you have made on an organization through your work
because of something you initiated.
 Look for initiative and ability to bring about change successfully.
Follow-up question: Why did you to want to make this impact?
Follow-up question: How did you initiate this effort?
10. Tell me about a time when you were involved in a conflict with someone (someone you did
not have direct authority over).
 Check for ability to handle conflict, comfort level with conflict, ability to identify causes and
appropriate solutions (problem solving).
Follow-up questions: What was the situation? What was the cause of the situation? What did
you do?
11. Tell me about a time in your work or volunteer experience when you had to influence
someone over whom you had no direct authority.
 Assess candidate’s influence and interpersonal skills.
Follow-up questions: What was the situation? What did you do? What made you decide to
handle the situation that way? What was the result?
12. What is your comfort level and experience working with technology? What
software/applications are you most proficient in?
 Assess any gaps in use of technology; look for ability to reference his/her experience with
specific programs or applications the chapter uses that would be pertinent to the leadership
position.
13. Board members are expected to pay for ATD membership dues as well as local (there is a
national dues discount for board members). The total for both memberships is $___ for the
year. Board members are also expected to attend the monthly membership meetings and a X-
hour board meeting every month.
Would you be able to meet these requirements?
Closing the Interview
 Thank you for answering these questions and sharing your experience with me.
 I appreciate the opportunity to hear about the skills and talents you can offer to the chapter!
 What questions do you have for me?
 How helpful was this conversation for you? Why?
 Next steps

Thank you for your time and interest in serving the chapter!

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Interviewers should be prepared to answer candidate questions. It is important to have

prepared answers to commonly asked questions so that all candidates receive the same
information. Here are some common questions you may encounter:

1. How many other people are interviewing for this position?

Be honest and let them know exactly how many are interviewing for the position

2. Who else is interviewing for this position?

It is recommended that you do not answer this question. Say you understand the candidate’s
interest and that the succession planning committee prefers to leave it up to each individual
candidate to tell others.

3. When will the committee make a decision on the slate, or, When will I be notified if I am
chosen?
The committee will be meeting the week of (date) to determine the slate. We are going to select
one person for each open position on the leadership team. You will be notified by (date).

4. Am I qualified for the position? What do you think my chances are of getting chosen?
As committee members, we won’t know the final outcome of the interviews until we all meet on
(date). I’m sorry I can’t be definitive right now. We will be considering all candidates for this/these
roles.
[If accurate, share …] I can tell you that from our discussion, I hear that you bring good
experience, skills and/or ideas to the role(s) you are interested in.

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DEVELOPING CHAPTER LEADERS

Preparing Potential Leaders

In order to prepare potential leaders, the gap between what they are currently ready for and what
preparation they need to be ready for the position when it is available needs to be determined. This
information can help determine what training, experience, and mentoring is needed. By considering
past performance as a volunteer, past experience, how they fit within the chapter’s culture, and other
members' acceptance of them as a potential leader, the best fit can be determined. Also, ensure that
the potential leaders are willing to carry out the organization's mission and to believe in the
organization's philosophy and culture.

Once potential leaders have been identified, a plan for each of them should be developed. Each
potential leader should be assigned a mentor; this mentor should be the leader whom they will
replace. The mentor and the potential leader should form a teacher-student relationship. When
issues arise that need problem solving or decision making, the leader should meet with the potential
leader to ask how he or she would handle the situation.
Allow potential leaders time to "shadow" the current leaders. If possible, allow them to attend board
meetings and participate in the decision making. This is a great way to see how they problem solve
and interact with other board members. The leaders may even want to present the potential leaders
with a problem and allow them to solve it as a group without any benefit of the current leaders' input.
See if the potential leaders would react in a way that is suitable or favorable.
Also allow them to participate in goal-setting activities such as strategic planning or budgeting to see
them in action. This process should not be a means for leaders to choose the person most like them.
Because a potential leader solves problems in the same manner as the current leader, it does not
make him/her the best candidate.

Training Your New Leaders

When setting up volunteer training, be sure that the objectives are clear and that a variety of methods
are used. What part needs to be face-to-face? Can you set up a conference call? How important is
the social aspect of the training for your volunteers?
Some chapters train new volunteers during a full-day or half-day retreat at the beginning of the year.
Others budget significant funds for getting their leaders to the ATD Chapter Leaders Conference
(ALC). Another option is to purchase materials related to nonprofit management from sources such
as Board Source (formerly the National Center for Nonprofit Boards) www.boardsource.org.
Another training and support resource is your Chapter Relations Manager (CRM) and the National
Advisors for Chapters (NAC). They are both available to chapter volunteers by phone and email, and
may be able to arrange chapter visits. They can also meet with your leaders at the International
Conference and Exposition in the spring or at the ATD Chapter Leaders Conference (ALC) in the fall.

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ONBOARDING PREPARATION

Resources by Chapter Function

Ensure your chapter’s board is up to speed and ready to begin by addressing the gap between what
they know and the preparation needed to be ready for the job. Although board positions and
responsibilities vary across chapters, there are many resources that are specific to certain board
positions. Click here to access sample job descriptions, responsibilities, qualifications, and resources
to use as a guide and adapt according to your chapter’s roles and their functions.

All Board Positions

To encourage quick and efficient onboarding, it is highly recommended that board members are given
the opportunity to familiarize themselves with chapter-specific documents as soon as possible.
Chapters may or may not have all of the items listed. Customize according to your chapter’s needs.
Chapter Policies and Procedures:
 Articles of Incorporation
 Board Manual
 Board Member Roles and Descriptions
 Board Processes
 Chapter Budget
 Chapter’s Constitution and Bylaws
 Conflict of Interest Policy
 Expectations/Accountability
 Fiduciary Responsibility
 Operational and Strategic Plan
 Succession Plan
 Membership Form (ATD and Chapter)
ATD Resources:
 Chapter Leader Community (CLC)
 Chapter Leader Community Short Links Map
 Chapter Affiliation Requirements (CARE)
 Chapter Relations Manager (CRM)
 National Advisors for Chapters (NAC)
 Leadership Connection Newsletter (LCN)
 ATD Chapter Leaders Conference (ALC)
 Sharing Our Success (SOS) - Chapter Best Practices
 ATD Chapter Toolkits
 Chapter Leader Webcasts
 Chapter Branding Hub
 Chapter Administration

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