Case study: Looking to the Future – Succession Planning at Restless Dance Theatre

^{Exposed Dancers: Madalene Macera, Charlie Wilkins, Bhodi Hudson. Photo by Roy Vandervegt}

Restless Dance Theatre is Australia’s leading creator of dance theatre by dancers with and without disability, located on Kaurna Yerta in Adelaide.

Established in 1991, Restless has grown exponentially since its inception. This evolution has seen significant change in the nature, size and number of works created and delivered by Restless, as well as how the organisation has been structured to deliver in times of growth. To leverage and sustain this expansion, Restless recently undertook an internal assessment and transformation process, including succession planning which they refer to as ‘human resource planning’.

Restless acknowledges that succession planning is dynamic and requires a long-term view to plan for organisational change. Restless’s CEO, Julie Moralee, notes that this extends to internal systems and procedures, noting “we use the language now with all of our systems, of ‘how would someone 10 years from now find that information?’”

“When we looked at the core roles, one person was doing the role of nine people; in small organisations staff are often tasked with a diverse array of duties. This phenomenon is not uncommon, where versatility and adaptability become the norm” – Julie Moralee.

Like in many organisations, key decision-makers at Restless have accumulated a substantial wealth of knowledge and expertise over long tenures. This includes corporate insights, familiarity with Restless’s stakeholders and community, extensive knowledge of the sector and the organisation’s historical context.

Restless identified that these nuanced and specific experiences, relationships and knowledge were held only by one or two key people and there was a need to document and redistribute this load to future-proof the organisation. As with other organisations that have had decision-makers with long tenures, Restless understands the risk of having core people adopt numerous additional roles and responsibilities over time.

Much of the recent review of and planning for Restless’s governance and organisational structure has focused on processes not just on the end point. Restless also choose to use the term ‘human resource planning’, over ‘succession planning’.

As Julie explains, the team share the belief that succession planning “felt like getting rid-of” or removing Restless’s identity when planning for the future. The chosen term also focuses on planning that is human-centred. It captures how Restless prioritises consistent relationship-building between Restless and people outside the organisation that have deep alignment with their mission and purpose. In Julie’s words:

“Human resource planning is not just limited to Restless employees, it is also of great importance that we exercise patience and due diligence in the selection of our board members, seeking individuals whose vision aligns seamlessly with our core values and long-term objectives.

“The essence of our pursuit should not be merely to fill positions expeditiously, but to cultivate a board composed of members who are not only the epitome of the right fit but also bring with them a commitment to stewardship and excellence.”

Ways Restless approach succession planning

• Audit of tasks and responsibilities: Restless conducted a thorough audit of all tasks and responsibilities across the organisation, allowing visibility of where and to what degree leaders may be performing multiple roles. This enabled the organisation to see gaps in skills and training requirements for future leaders and decision-makers.
• Structural change: Restless pursued sustainability through structural change, creating new roles that addressed issues of leadership positions ‘wearing multiple hats’. This involved defining the scope of each role and how it contributes to the organisation’s objectives.
• Getting the ‘right’ people: With new roles created, Restless focused on getting the right people to step into these new roles. Julie Moralee stresses the importance of not just identifying skills gaps but finding or developing the right individuals to fill those gaps. “We seek to engage with individuals who resonate with our organisation’s mission on a profound level. Our aim is to foster connections not solely based on representation of specific communities but to find people with a shared passion for our work and a genuine desire to contribute to our collective goals.” [Note: See Creative Australia’s Guide to Board Recruitment and Induction here].
• Documentation and process improvement: Restless set itself up for the future by documenting information and processes to guide future employees on how Restless operates. Although this has required significant time and effort, undertaking this step has resulted in processes that are fit-for-purpose and support the Restless community – not just for now, but into the future.

Learnings for other organisations

• Review and assess where changes are needed: Core to establishing succession practices is getting clarity about work and roles and how these are distributed across your organisation. Leaders with long tenures often bear the weight of too many responsibilities unnecessarily. Redistribute these responsibilities, formalise and document key organisational knowledge and processes to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in governance. [Note: See Creative Australia’s Guide to Board and Organisational Succession Planning here].
• Recognise that language matters: Consider the language you use when discussing succession planning. In Restless’s case, they found using ‘human resource planning’ instead of ‘succession planning’ made conversations about transition more comfortable, and better reflected the need for systems and planning for transformation of the organisation over time.
• Harness existing connections: Continuously build a network of prospective individuals who are strongly aligned with your organisation’s mission and values to consider for future staff and board appointments.

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