Succession Planning
Succession Planning is the strategic process of identifying and developing new leaders who can replace existing leaders when they leave, retire or pass away. It ensures that businesses continue to operate efficiently without any interruption due to the unavailability of key personnel.
Goal
The goal of succession planning is to ensure the continuous and effective leadership of the organisation by preparing for the eventual transition of key roles.
Context
People amass a huge amount of knowledge and experience over time. When a key person leaves the organisation, this knowledge and experience can be lost. Succession planning helps to mitigate this risk by ensuring that there are people ready to step into key roles when needed.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Product Strategy | A high-level plan for achieving the product vision within the next 1-3 years. |
| Process Concepts Assessments | Examination of awareness and buy-in for the key structures of the development process and expectations by level. |
| Research Capability Assessments | Examination of research practices to ensure that they align with the research principles and expectations by level. |
| Design Capability Assessments | Examination of design practices to ensure that they align with the design principles and expectations by level. |
| Development Capability Assessments | Examination of development practices to ensure that they align with the development principles and expectations by level. |
| Individual Career Development Plans | Documentation outlining the career aspirations of employees and the steps needed to achieve them. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Succession Plan | A documented strategy for identifying and developing internal candidates for key leadership positions. |
Anti-patterns
- Failure to Plan: Neglecting succession planning, risking operational continuity and strategic direction.
- Focus on Senior Leadership Only: Overlooking the development of mid-level and junior potential leaders.
- Over-Reliance on External Recruitment: Failing to develop internal talent, leading to potential culture mismatches and longer adaptation periods.