Succession planning at Notre Dame: lessons for librarians

Abstract

Purpose – One of the biggest challenges facing American librarians at present is a mass retirement of highly trained professionals, which will result in a significant loss of expertise. When libraries look at universities for examples of succession planning, they find, for the most part, that they are behind, not ahead of them. A notable exception is the University of Notre Dame, which, as a Catholic institution led by priests, has a very small pool of candidates for high-level positions, so it is forced to select and prepare its top leaders through succession planning. This article aims to examine the work of one such leader. Design/methodology/approach – This article examines the work of one president, Father Theodore M. Hesburgh, whose succession planning efforts resulted in the preparation not only of his successor but also of the members of the administrative team. Findings – This case offers three important lessons for librarians. First, the leadership must be on board with the training program. Second, the training program must go beyond individuals and involve entire cohorts. Finally, the goal of training must be the development of as much talent as possible. Originality/value – The Notre Dame case demonstrates that when an organization looks for talent it finds it, indicating that much talent is lost because it is never recognized, let alone cultivated, and that is the most important lesson of all.

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