How to apply the principles of succession planning
Research tells us that talented people choose to be associated with an organisation that considers both its employees’ futures and the continued success of the organisation. In fact, the quality of an organisation’s succession planning and its corporate image are closely linked. One of the success factors associated with those organisations that have developed and implemented effective succession plans is that they have identified and adhered to several key principles of succession planning...
1. Know what you’re planning for.
Succession planning is an essential strategy for harnessing the substantial talents in your organisation. It is the process by which successors in your organisation are identified for key posts (or groups of similar key posts) and career development - and subsequent activities are planned accordingly. When you have created a workable succession plan for your organisation, you can then include in it various planned developmental activities for those identified for advancement.
2. Customise any plan to the needs of your organisation.
Although valuable ideas might be gained from perusing other organisations’ plans, ultimately the one best suited to your situation will be the one you design yourself - tailored to your organisation’s needs and demands including selection processes, reward systems, and management development.
3. Involve top management in succession planning.
If top management isn’t involved in, and supporting, the succession planning process, it just won’t work. There are reasons for this. First, senior management should have its finger on the pulse of leadership talent within the organisation. Second, sustaining any broad-based succession plan involves substantial effort and requires a high priority among top management. If the bosses are not seen as owning the plan, why would others be expected to assume ownership?
