Succession Planning

Turnover, retirement, and unexpected events can suddenly change the stability and continuity of any work group. Although it is common to ask the rhetorical question, “What would happen if Joe were hit by a bus?” no one really expects it to happen as it did to Ken Dillon. Few organizations adequately prepare for unanticipated changes in their human assets. Instead, it is typical to focus on the latest crisis or the routine tasks.

Succession Planning is about preparing for the unexpected in order to ensure organizational stability and success. Each person in the organization is likely to be replaced at some point in time, either through promotions or exodus. Adequate preparation for those certain open positions ensures that sufficient talent will be available. At the same time, the activities that prepare people for larger roles can give them career development and professional growth. Most of all, succession planning can be motivating and help people to see a future in the organization that is based on performance.

Dr. Lansford’s unique approach achieves a different result with a practical, useful solution. To avoid having the Succession Plan become an administrative exercise that merely produces a document to sit on the shelf, a participative approach affords an action plan for the individuals involved to produce better results. The tactic is to assess current leadership and success factors, to identify high potentials, and outline a method of development for future needs. A superior plan is developed using reliable methods of assessment, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis with the exact tools and process designed for the specific situation. The size and complexity of the organization dictate the need for and dependence on adequate computer software to support and keep the plan current.

The most important aspect of the Succession Plan is that it is a timely identification of the essential elements of leadership and expertise in the organization and that it becomes an instrument for increasing individual organizational results and ensuring future success.