Waiting for Dr. Q
In my school days, when I would catch a cold, I used to go to Dr. Q’s clinic which was nearby to
our house in PECHS, Karachi. Dr. Q was a very experienced doctor. His diagnosis were
accurate. I vividly remember there were people who would wait for long to see only Dr. Q.
despite of the fact that there were two other doctors available in his clinic – a lady doctor and a
young doctor. All the three doctors would sit in a row. Dr. Q and young doctor would sit next to
each other. While the lady doctor’s desk was at a slight distance.
I recollect that majority of the patients would consult Dr. Q. While some of the female patients
would prefer to see the lady doctor. However, none of the patients would be willing to consult
the young doctor.
One day when I was in Dr. Q’s clinic waiting for my turn to consult Dr. Q. Although, the young
doctor sitting next to Dr. Q was free, I chose to wait. Then, out of nowhere it just popped into my
mind, if I would not go the young doctor today, how will he become Dr. Q of tomorrow. I
immediately got up from the waiting area and walk to the young doctor to seek medical advice. I
was just 15 when I realized this.
While I write this piece, Dr. Q is no more with us. May Allah shower his blessings on his soul,
Aameen. The young doctor of yester year is now a cardiologist. However, the problem is more or
less the same. Perhaps, not in Dr. Q’s clinic, rather in some other clinic, hospital, motor
mechanic shop, restaurant, family-owned business house, entertainment and sports industry,
politics, or even in a mosque in our dwelling.
Not many people are interested in developing their shadow. Hence, departure of such people
create a vacuum. The organization suffers, operating efficiencies dwindle, and customers are
gone. The reason we don’t find many names on the list of business houses that have been around
for 50 years or so.
There are many reasons attributable to this lack of succession planning. For example, a typical
family owned business runs on trust – Owner’s trustworthy employees handles core operations
such as: purchase, cash handling, factory operations etc. The critical operations are under control
of a single individual posing the risk of single point of failure. The Mr. Trustworthy would
denounce implementation of any sort of reporting systems because that will tantamount to be a
depreciation charge on his persona. This means that such businesses empowers people instead of
systems and processes. However, the owner relishes the trust, as Mr. Trustworthy enjoys the
authority as well as every opportunity to cajole his master. This system works perfectly until
there is a breach of trust, or the owner start off thinking how to pass on the running business to
the next generation. There are cases in which the owner brings in the next generation from an
early age. Here the catch is bestowing a senior position to an inexperienced descendant.
Resultantly, the untested master is hoodwinked by the veterans.
Succession planning is even missing in more structured corporate sector. Here, it is impeded by
the insecure managers who always want to feel in control. They may either be threatened by
others’ success or lack self-confidence in their abilities, which leads them to see their direct
reports as potential enemies. So, developing their own shadows is beyond belief.
Often, the Human Capital function of the organization is not skilled to handle a delicate subject
of who’s taking the reins next.
The irony is that many of the business houses, nowadays, are spending on various sustainable
business initiatives – zero carbon, greenhouse, diversity and inclusion etc. All these programs are
important. Yet, only a stable leadership and a right pool of talent can ensure longevity of these
initiatives.
People are complicated, and that can make planning a succession complicated too. Nevertheless,
visionary organization invests on business continuity. This includes succession planning. If
managed smoothly, switching between leaders can be a beneficial process for everyone involved
and the organization moves forward.
Author, Liz Weber, summed up the need for succession planning succinctly: “Never put your
business in the hands of one person or select few. People leave. People die. People forget.”