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Succession planning is critical to organizational resilience because it ensures a seamless transition of leadership and the preservation of institutional knowledge. By understanding best practices around succession planning, companies can build a robust plan that not only prepares the next generation of leaders but also fortifies the foundation of the entire organization.
Below, Forbes Human Resource Council members share strategic approaches that department leaders can use to navigate succession planning, from identifying and nurturing talent to creating a culture that values continuous learning and development.
1. Nurture Potential Successors
Identify potential successors, develop and train potential successors and set clear goals and expectations for potential successors. It is important to identify who has the potential to take over leadership roles in the future so that you can then implement a training a development plan for those individuals. - Kenneth Sharperson, Armstrong Teasdale LLP - New York, NY
2. Organize In-House Skills Training
An excellent leadership succession planning strategy is organizing in-house leadership skills training sessions. These workshops, led by internal experts or senior managers, focus on key leadership skills like effective communication, team management, conflict resolution and decision-making. To make these sessions more dynamic and engaging, incorporate corporate improv activities. - CJ Eason, Job Fair Giant
3. Encourage Mentorship
Encouraging mentorship can be instrumental in building the bench of future leaders. Mentorship helps demystify some of the "holy cows" of the corporate philosophy on what makes a great leader and also helps refine some of the sharp edges in terms of perception and impact. A lack of executive presence is often a reason for not promoting someone who otherwise has the skills and critical experience. - Catalina Schveninger, Matara Consulting
4. Review Succession Plans Periodically
There are three elements to good succession planning. First, consider both internal and external successors since the best person to step in may be an outsider. Second, create and follow development plans for internal successors to prepare them for key roles. Finally, review the plan periodically to keep it up to date so that when you need it, the information is current. - Mikaela Kiner, Reverb
5. Emphasize Transparency
Emphasize transparency in succession planning. Clear and regular communication about the process and each person's role empowers employees for career growth. It's an opportunity to inspire and tap into your department's true potential. This further builds readiness and trust, ensuring fair promotions and strategic preparation for the department's future. - Ahva Sadeghi, Symba
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6. Challenge The Status Quo
Strategize succession planning by challenging the status quo. Part of any succession plan should include a review of the role and organizational structure. Sometimes it may be appropriate to replace the role one-for-one and other times it may be the right time to rethink how we do the work. Enabling impacted employees to share their ideas should also be part of the process. - Philippe Dorion, Aptum Managed Services
7. Assess Your Leadership Team Thoroughly
Conduct a thorough and introspective assessment of your leadership team. Ask two questions: What leaders do you have that no longer align with the organization's needs? What kind of leaders are missing that would significantly benefit the team? Craft a competitive leadership value proposition (LVP). This LVP will guide your succession recruitment efforts both internally and externally. - Michael D. Brown, Global Recruiters of Buckhead
8. Map The Skills Of Potential Successors
Create core skills and potential map for potential successors, identify different leadership scenarios and circumstances in the past, project into the future and combine all the above to choose the best fit for the role. Create specific developmental plans to close the gap. This should include experiential projects that fully test both leadership and technical skills. Execute and track this plan. - Kunbi Adeoti, Leadway Group
9. Use Shadowing And Stretch Assignments To Develop Talent
Department leadership can use shadowing, mentorship programs and stretch assignments as effective strategies for succession planning. These approaches provide opportunities for potential successors to learn from current leaders, receive guidance and support and develop new skills to ensure a smooth transition of leadership and build a strong pipeline of talent for the future. - Reema Akhtar, Seer Solutions
10. Make Succession Planning A Cultural Norm
Embedding succession planning as a cultural norm within the department is crucial. When succession planning becomes an integral part of the culture, it allows personalized development, mentoring and a commitment to ongoing training and evaluation. This can ensure a steady pipeline of qualified individuals ready to step into key roles when needed, promoting organizational stability and growth. - Katrina Jones, Acacia Network
11. Use A People-Centered Talent Strategy
A people-centered talent strategy focused on future-proofing the organization is key! Every leader must build a talent pipeline bench. Having the right people in the right roles at the right time is central to success. Understanding competencies and skills for roles will help provide career paths for all. Investment in the potential of our people is the differentiator and essential for growth. - Maria Miletic
12. Prioritize Mission-Critical Roles
Be clear that the purpose requires prioritizing mission-critical roles. Break down silos by holding all leaders accountable for identifying enterprise-wide talent and mobility opportunities. For successor nomination, use criteria like leadership competencies and evidence from multiple sources beyond the direct manager. Keep a growth mindset; just as organizations change and evolve, so do people. - Jennifer Rozon, McLean & Company
13. Identify The Next Generation Of Leaders
One critical step of succession planning is identifying the next generation of leaders. Organizations can train managers to recognize employees with strong leadership potential and note that potential in performance reviews. However, it is also important to understand developing leaders takes time. Do not count employees out, but rather, foster leadership development for those who seek it. - Niki Jorgensen, Insperity
14. Plan Ahead
The earlier succession planning can be addressed for key roles, the better. This way, employees in these roles can help create training material and process maps prior to their departure. Additionally, other employees should be identified who can move into key roles should the original employees leave. These employees’ training can then begin well in advance to ensure they’re properly prepared. - John Feldmann, Insperity
15. Utilize A Skills-Based Approach
Effective succession planning involves a skills-based approach. Break down positions into specific skills with defined levels. Ensure transparency around required skills and levels for each role, detailing actions for advancement. Use skills assessments to map departmental skills, keeping everyone informed of their level and needed upskilling to be able to move to a certain position. - Shiran Danoch, Informed Decisions
16. Foster A Culture Of Internal Promotions
Strategize succession planning by identifying crucial roles, developing a talent pipeline and offering targeted training. Focus on fostering a culture of internal promotions and transparent communication to enhance employee readiness for future leadership roles. - Cally Stanphill, PainTEQ LLC
17. Provide Clear, Constructive Feedback
Succession planning includes giving your potential, emergency and planned successors feedback. Too often, executives talk about successors and emerging leaders and then will neglect to share what they heard. If you want to nurture your next-level leaders, you must develop them. Clear and constructive feedback will help them see where they need to focus to make that next step in their career. - Tracy Cote, StockX
18. Utilize A Comprehensive Talent Management Assessment
Effective management of realistic succession planning requires a comprehensive talent management assessment and robust workforce planning. The succession planning outcomes must align with the organization's forecast to mitigate business risk and reputational damage. For this reason, the process should be well-organized and driven by the support of all management divisions. - Dr. Nara Ringrose, Cyclife Aquila Nuclear
19. Encourage Diverse Skill Sets
One strategy is building a solid learning and development culture, as evidenced by Google's practice of encouraging employees to pursue projects outside their core responsibilities, promoting a diverse skill set. Implementing mentorship programs, like those at Deloitte, where experienced leaders guide emerging talent, ensures knowledge transfer and prepares future leaders. - Joseph Soares, IBPROM Corp.
20. Develop Middle Management
For effective succession planning, department leaders should focus not only on executive roles but also on developing individual contributors and middle managers. This involves identifying potential leaders early, providing them with targeted training, mentorship and opportunities to take on strategic responsibilities, ensuring a diverse talent pipeline at all levels. - Chad MacRae, Tinder
