General  Transition  Guide  

 
 
 
 

 
AIESEC  in  Austria  
 
 

 
   

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I. Introduction
 
 
In   AIESEC   we   base   many   of   our   activities   in   projects   set   up   for   solving   different   issues   in   society   and  
entering   various   market   segments.   In   the   following   pages   you   will   find   information   about   how   you  
should   give   /   receive   transition   for   eg.   projects.   At   some   parts   guiding   questions   will   be   put   while   at  
other  parts  further  documents  will  be  linked  from  myaiesec.net.  
 
Please  note   that   this   document   provides  a   basic   frame   for   the   transition   not   the   transition   itself!   You  
should  also  individually  prepare  for  the  transition  and  of  course  customize  it  where  it  is  needed.  
And  keep  in  mind:  
 
Make  sure  your  successor  will  do  an  even  better  term  than  you  did!  ☺
 
 
 
II. Transition
 

a)       Role  of  transition  

 
 
AIESEC’s  external     environment     enforces     a  100%     turnover     of     ‘members’  and     necessitates     continual  
recruitment,   training,   and   development   of   our   membership.   Their   ability   to   manage   zero   retention,  
while  still  growing  and  developing  the  organization  for  the  next  generation  is  what  is  critical.  
 
It   is   clear   that   AIESEC   is   both   comfortable   and   capable   of   dealing   with   their   ever   changing   sea   of  
personnel,   but   what   do   they   actually   do   to  ensure   knowledge   and   contacts   are   passed   safely   from  
generation  to  generation,  without  huge  disruption  to  the  organization’s  activities?  
 
To   compensate   for   being   ‘held   back’,   AIESEC   has   established   practices   that   help   provide   a   stable  
structure,   enable   the  transfer   of   knowledge,   and   ensure   the   organization   will   continue   to   grow   and  
succeed.  
 
 
b)       Objectives  of  the   transition  
 
 
• Understand  the  goal  and  the  role  of  the  activities  and  projects  in  AIESEC  
• Make   sure   the   successor  Leader   will   be   prepared  for   his/her   term   in   terms   of   skills,  
knowledge,  contacts  etc.  
• Successor  should  further  develop  the  functional  area  or  the  project  culture  within  the  LC.  
 
 
   

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c)       Transition   tips  
 
 
Working   Together  –  you   are   in   this   together.  Both   of   your   attitudes   need   to  be   very  open,   and   willing   to  
learn.   This   year   the   process   is   much   more   based   on   passing   over   information,   having   in-­‐depth  
discussions,  and  then  going  that  extra  step  of  defining  what  needs  to  happen  next  year  together.  
 
Activity   based   -­‐  make  it  interactive  and  based  on  the  concept  of  learning  by  doing  as  much  as  possible.  
Remember   that   you   learnt   most   through   the   experiences   that   you   had,   so   try   to   make   transition   as  
experience   based   as   possible.   Your   elect   will   not   learn   as   much   through   just   sitting   and   talking   as  
through  practising  some  of  the  things  you  are  going  over  with  them.  
 
Spread  out  over  longer  time  period  -­‐  the   more  crammed  it   is,  the   harder  it   will  be   for  them   to   absorb  all  
of  the  information.  
 
Involve   externals   -­‐  get  them  thinking  by  chatting  to  some  alumni  about  ideas  for  the  LC,  make  sure  you  
go   with   them   on   transition  interviews  with   partners  or   BoA  members   get   them   thinking   about   what   is  
happening  in  the  world  and  business  reality  by  talking  to  people  in  business.  
 
You   are  helping   to  plan   for  next   year   -­‐  don’t  see  transition  just  as  information  transfer  from  you  to  the  
elect.   Use   it  as   an  opportunity  to  work   on  ideas  together,   so  that  you  come  up   with  output  that  you  can  
use,  from  your  transition  sessions.  
 
Don’t   get   defensive   -­‐   you   are   not   being   judged.   It   is   important   to   admit   mistakes   made   so   that   your  
elect  can  learn  from  them  as  you  did.  Your  aim  should  be  to  make  the  next  term  more  successful  than  
yours,  it  is  not  a  competition,  so  don’t  treat  it  that  way.  
 
Pass  on  all   materials   –  pass  on  everything  you  can  get  your  hands  on,  and  don’t   keep   files   of  LC  records  
and  resources  at  your  house  somewhere.  
 
Stick   to   the   timeline   -­‐   ensure   that   you   timeline   the   whole   of   transition   and   stick   to   it   and   don’t   let   it  
drag  on  until  after  exams  as  the  chances  of  it  happening  then  will  get  lower  and  lower.  
 
The   transition   should   keep   a   style   of   conversation,     not     lecture,     always   making   sure   that   you   have  
already   heard   what   the   elects   expect,   and   that   you   get   ongoing   feedback.   In   addition,   a   good   way   of  
tracking  what  the  elects  learn  is  by  making  trick  questions  at  the  end  of  the  meeting.  
 
The   transition   should   be   focused   on   facts.   Give   only   valuable   and   necessary   information.   Analyze   the  
errors  and  successes  of  the  past,  mark  strong  and  weak  points  of  the  LC,  things  they  could  build  on  or  
need  to  correct.  
 
The  dates  and   the   duration  of  the   transition  meetings  should  be  fixed  and  known  in  advance.  
The   current   LC   should   be   well   organized,   responsible,     creative,   confident,   in   order   to   encourage   the  
elect  LC  to  do  the  same.  
 
Show  the  timeline   of  the  year:  when   does   what  happen?  Distinguish   between  what  is  already  fixed,   and  
what  is  left  to  the  new  team  to  fix.  
 
 

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III. Suggested transition flow

 
 
This   a   suggested  flow   for   OCP   transition  containing   the   minimum   level  of   knowledge  needed  by   the  OCP.  
You  can  add  topics  by  customizing  it  to  your  LC  reality  but  make  sure  you  will  cover  all  of  these:  
1.       Expectation  and  goal  setting  
2.       Understanding  the  project  concept  
3.       Being  an  OCP  -­‐  Roles  and  responsibilities  
4.       Project  management  methodology  
5.       Year  cycle  
6.       Passing  accounts  and  contacts  
7.       On  the  job  coaching  
 
 
 
IV. Expectation and goal setting
 
 
a)       Goals  of  the   predecessor  –  what  would  you  like  to  personally  &  professionally  to  accomplish  
(give/get)  trough  the  transition.  
b)       Goals  of  the  successor  –  what  would  he/she  like  to  gain  personally  &  professionally  trough  the  
transition.  
 
 
 

 
V. Understanding the project concept
a)       What  is   a  project?  
“…a  temporary  activity  aimed  to  create  and  provide  a  unique  product  or  service.  Temporary  means  
that  every  project  has  a  definite  end.  Unique  means  that  the  product  or  service  is  different  from  
other  products  of  services...”  
 
A  project  is  a  collection  of  Whys?,  What’s?  How’s?  Who’s?   &Tracking  
Why?  –  are  you  doing  the  project  –  the  strategic  purpose!  
What?  –  your  requirements  –  needs  &  wants  in  order  to  realize  your  project!  
How?  –  your  plan  –  how  your  going  to  do  it?  how  long  is  it  going  to  take?  how  much  is  it  going  
to  cost?  
Who?  –  your  team  –  clean  ownership  of  well  defined  tasks  –  trust  your  team  to  do  their  tasks,  
trust  but  verify  and  give  timely  feedback.  
 
“If  why,  what,  how  &  who  are  the  4  fingers  on  your  hand  then  TRACKING  is  the  opposable  
thumb,  if  your  not  tracking   the  project  then  your  project  is  not  under  control.”  
 
Jim  Chapman  
Certified  Project  Management  Professional  
 
 
   

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b)       Why  do  we  run  projects  in  AIESEC?  

We’re  running  projects  because  that’s  the  best  way  how  to  package  more  than  one  of  our  
products  &  sell  them  to  our  stakeholders.  
 
In  the  process  of  running  projects  our  members  are  fulfilling  their  role  (personal  &  prof.dev.)  in  
the  organization  and  contributing  to  its  overall  goals  (MoS  +  impact  in  society).  
 
c)       History  and   current   role   of  projects  within  the   LC.  
As  it  is  varying  from  LC  to  LC  you  should  discuss  this  topic  personally  with  your  successor.  

VI. Being an OCP - Roles and responsibilities

a)       Roles  and   responsibilities  

The  document  under  the  following  link  describes  the  different  roles  and  responsibilites  that  a  leader  has:  
http://www.myaiesec.net/content/viewfile.do?contentid=10032551  
 
 
b)       Stakeholders  
At  that  part  of  the  transition  you  should  also   identify  the  different  stakeholders  of  a  project  OCP.  List  them   and  
come  up  with  the  different  roles  of  the  OCP   towards  these  stakeholders.  Also  clarify  the  different  attitudes,  
behaviours,  connections  and  accountability.  
Possible  stakeholders:  
• Project  members  
• EB  coach  of  the  project  
• LC  meeting,  LC  members  outside  of  the  project  
• National  level:  MC,  NST  (functional  coordinators,  NTT,  LC  coaches  etc…)  
• Other  OCPs  in  the  country  (communication,  GCP  sharing,  cooperation)  
• Partners  (TN  takers,  learning  partners,  content  partners  etc.)  
• NGOs,  Board  of  Advisors  
• Alumni  
• University  students  (future  members,  Learning  event  participants…)  
• Society  
• …  
 
 
 

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VII. Project management methodology

There   are   many   books   and   articles   written   about   project   management.   When   you   are   managing   a  
project  these  knowledge  and  skills  you  can  gain  from  books,  courses,  trainings  will  come  in  handy.  
 
a)       Project  management  flow  
Every  project  can  be  separated  to  the  following  5  phases:  
i.       Research  (idea)  
ii.       Planning  
iii.       Execution  
iv.       Tracking  
v.       Closing  
 
 
For     the     execution     part     you     should     sit     together     with     your     successor     and     discuss     the     past  
experiences.  
 
b)       Project  management  tools  
There   are   different   project   management   tools   which   you   can   use   for   effectively   managing   a  
project.   This   short   summary   of   materials   will   introduce   you   the   most   relevant   ones   for   AIESEC  
projects:  
 
Central  and  Eastern  Europe  Project  Management  tools:  
http://www.myaiesec.net/content/viewfile.do?opern=next&contentid=10082639  
 
 
 
c)       Effective  meeting  management:  
http://www.myaiesec.net/content/viewfile.do?contentid=113301#  
 
 
 
You  can  find  additional  information  about  project  management  methodology  on  the  web.  
There  are  few  links:  
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management  
http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projektmenedzsment  
http://www.managementhelp.org/plan_dec/project/project.htm  
 
 
 

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VIII. Year cycle
It  should  be  also  clarified  during  transition  that  how  the  flow  of  the  year  looks  like.  Which   tasks  should  
be  executed  at  which  period  how  the  workload  is  varying  at  different  parts  of  the  year.  
You   should   draw   a   timeline   and   list   the   different   task   and   events   for   every   months.   Successor   OCP  
should  use  this  information  during  project  planning.  
 
 
 

 
IX. Passing accounts and contacts
Continuity  is   essential   in  partnership  management.   Collect   your  main   contacts   and   accounts   (companies,  
TN   takers,   supporters,   BoA,   NGO   representatives)   you   managed   in   the   past   and   pass   them   to   your  
successor.  Inform  him  /  her  about  the  current  state  of  the  partnerships.  
Make  sure  the  contact  person  will  also  know  that  there  is  a  change  in  AIESEC  representative.  You  can  set  
up  account  transition  meetings  and  introduce  your  successor  for  your  partners.  
You  should  also  document  every  activities  in  the  CRM  system  (i2).  
 
 
 
X. On the job coaching
It     is     also     part     of     the     transition     to     work     together     in     the     beginning     with     your     successor.     Have  
conversations  about  your  experiences.  Support  your  successor  during  the  planning  of  the  new  project.  
Provide  constructive  feedback  for  his  /  her  work  about  project  management,  team  management  etc.  
Make  sure  you  are  supportive  and  constructive  and  you  provide  the  space  for  the  new  OCP  to   realize  
the  ideas.  
 
 

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