Leadership succession planning in the healthcare system in same district, kilimanjaro region, Tanzania: exploring practices, barriers and facilitators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Succession planning is perpetuating the enterprise by filling the pipeline with high performing people to ensure that every leadership level has an abundance of these performers to draw from, both now and in the future. Often succession planning is lacking or ill-defined or poorly practiced in the health care systems. Objective: This study aimed to explore leadership succession planning in Same District health system by examining the practices, facilitators and barriers of succession planning implementation. Methodology: Qualitative exploratory case study research method was employed in this study. The nature of this research required the qualitative explorative research and case study in order to allow an in-depth exploration of views from health managers and health workers who have real life experiences of the way leadership succession planning is done by citing examples from one district. Participants of this study included managers of the District health system, Human resource department and District Executive Director Results: Research findings identified succession planning practices that involves career development plans, availability of updated seniority list and presence of Performance Appraisal and Review System. There were facilitators that are influencing the implementation of SP in Same District Health System, these are: delegation of responsibilities, fund availability, mentoring and orientations, carrier development plan, on job training programs as well as involvement of junior staff in managerial activities. Challenges identified to hinder SP were: lack of clear policy and guidelines, budget and financial limitations, human resource shortage as well as leader’s perception on job description. Conclusion: There are two main premises when it comes to SP. One premise, which is evident in the research for this study, is that a well-planned and executed SP makes all employees valuable and the second is that changes always occurs. Leaders of healthcare organizations do not put emphasis on developing leadership competencies and abilities, but rather on technical knowledge.