Tactical Maternity Leave Plan

Description

Let's face it, expecting a baby and leaving the club on maternity leave is daunting. Especially if you are the General Manager or a Department Head. I have had two babies as a General Manager. This template helped me plan my leave, and communicate how operations will run in my absence.

Implementation

Months before I went on maternity leave, I met with my management team and my Board President to identify ongoing and short-term projects and areas that will need attention while I was leave. From that meeting, I developed a task list and created the GM Maternity Plan. Two months before my leave I shared with this my team, and the Board of Directors.

This tactical plan put the team and the club's leadership at ease while I was away. I also shared parts of the GM Maternity Plan in club communications so the membership had a general sense of how the club would operate with the daily presences of their General Manager. I did not have an Assistant General Manager to assume the roll of Interim General Manager nor did the club support hiring an contracted temporary General Manager. This ML Plan defined each department heads' role, task list and an emergency contact call list.

Using this plan was a communication tool that answered many questions the club's leadership had. It also set the club up for success in the absence of their general manager. Each department head was required and empowered "to step it up" and handle "things" while I was away. I was able to momentarily and successfully detach while I enjoyed the birth of our daughter.