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Considering Retirement or a New Chapter? Legacy Planning Preps Tenured Leaders for What’s Next

Fast Traction for Navigate Forward’s Newest Executive Career Service
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After decades of active company leadership, it can be difficult for seasoned executives to picture what comes next. Often, there’s a desire to slow the pace, but few want to stop adding value altogether. This uncertainty can leave both senior leaders and their organizations at an uncomfortable crossroads.

Navigate Forward’s newest executive career service, Legacy Planning, aims to bridge that gap.

Being Intentional About the Future

Legacy Planning happens in the months leading up to retirement or a planned departure. Each executive works with a peer-level Navigate Forward consultant to plan their journey.

Providing top executives with access to Legacy Planning services can support graceful, well-planned transitions

With our collaborative approach and proven framework, leaders envision their future, celebrate key milestones in their career, then launch their next chapter with confidence and intention. Having an outside resource provides an objective perspective that can smooth the transition process for departing executives and their employers.

“Legacy Planning is a natural extension of our current transition services for executives,” said Anne Sample, CEO of Navigate Forward. “It allows us to work with senior leaders who want to plan their lives beyond their corporate careers. Already, we’re seeing quick traction with companies who want to reward tenured leaders, and with individuals ready to pivot their careers to a new chapter.”

Includes Popular Board Readiness Service

Legacy Planning includes our popular Board Readiness service, which provides tailored support to land a board of directors role at a public or private company. Getting started on this often-lengthy journey while still actively employed makes C-suite leaders more attractive candidates.

A rewarding ‘second act’ should combine your personal passions with your leadership skills and experience, at a pace that fits your desire for work-life balance

In addition to board work, a Legacy Planning engagement supports executives who want to:

  • Move to a non-profit or community service role
  • Transition to consulting
  • Shift to fractional leadership roles or part-time engagements
  • Give back through speaking, teaching or mentorship
  • Spend leisure time wisely

The goal with any Legacy Planning engagement is to identify the right mix of activities for each executive.

An Outoing Exec Puts Structure to Retirement

“A rewarding ‘second act’ should combine your personal passions with your leadership skills and experience, at a pace that fits your desire for work-life balance,” explained Patty Hamm, Executive Consultant and Legacy Planning Practice Lead at Navigate Forward.

Jim Jacobson, outgoing corporate attorney for a national health insurer, took advantage of a Legacy Planning engagement sponsored by his employer.

Navigate Forward helped me map out the next phase of my life; we put structure to my retirement

“I wanted to slow down; I was looking for my off-ramp after a 35-year career,” Jacobson said. “Navigate Forward helped me map out and think through the next phase of my life, to find the right balance. We put structure to my retirement, instead of jumping completely into the void.”

Living Longer, Redefining ‘Retirement’

With so many Baby Boomers assessing their futures, Legacy Planning dovetails with a shift in thinking about retirement and traditional career paths.

“As we’re living longer, we’re reframing retirement and thinking more holistically about the future. That includes how to keep adding value and using our skills in new and fulfilling ways,” noted Hamm.

Legacy Planning also supports the needs of HR professionals—particularly those with a pipeline of next generation talent ready to move into senior leadership roles. Providing top executives with access to Legacy Planning services can support graceful, well-planned transitions for key roles and streamline succession planning.

As we’re living longer, we’re reframing retirement and thinking more holistically about the future

Peer-to-Peer Coaching from Powerhouse Team

Like all our engagements, we’ve got a powerhouse coaching team lined up to deliver our Legacy Planning service:

The team draw on sought-after coaching skills, corporate board experience and C-suite leadership roles across Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and various industries.

“The breadth and diversity of our team gives our clients a significant advantage,” Sample noted. “Not only do senior leaders work with a dedicated lead consultant, they can access our full resources for specialized expertise, from LinkedIn training to board searches to networking. It’s a great roster of talent to help leaders chart the right course and get excited about their futures.”

 

Does Legacy Planning sound like a good fit for you or someone you know? Learn more about our Legacy Planning process, then connect with us to discuss next steps for you or your organization.

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