What are the best practices for succession planning in career progression?

Succession planning is more than just about career development and filling roles - it’s about mitigating risk and building an anti-fragile organization. It's essential to map critical roles, assess internal candidate readiness, as well as monitoring the availability of suitable external candidates. For pivotal positions, adopt “two is one, and one is none” mindset - ensure there is always more than just one potential candidate on deck. This approach helps safeguard your organization against unforeseen vacancies and maintains a steady pipeline for critical talent and positions.

Effective succession planning starts with strategic alignment to business goals. Assess mission-critical roles, projected needs, and required competencies as the company evolves. Identify high-potential internal candidates early and give stretch assignments to develop readiness. Define career pathways to move people into priority pipeline roles. Balance continuity and change by blending internal promotion and external recruitment. Succession planning must be nimble amid market shifts. Maintain ongoing leadership assessment and development to sustain a robust talent bench strength. With strategy-aligned succession efforts, you empower enduring organizational success.

Best practices for succession planning in career progression involve a structured and proactive approach. Begin by identifying key positions and the competencies required for these roles. Assess current employees for potential successors, considering not just performance but also potential and aspiration. Develop a talent pool through targeted training, mentorship, and development programs to prepare individuals for future leadership roles. Encourage cross-functional experiences to broaden skill sets. Regularly review and update the succession plan to reflect changes in business strategy and personnel. Foster a culture of open communication about career paths and succession to manage expectations and reduce uncertainty.

I worked on warships for 10 years as a Navy Officer. In 2001, I started working in the Navy's training and development dep. It made me very happy to touch and contribute to people's lives. When I will retire in the future, I decided to establish an education consultancy firm. I asked myself some questions. What do I want to happen in my life after the Navy? What do I want not to happen in my life? What does success mean? What do & don't I have to achieve this success? What should I do to improve myself? First, I completed two master's (MsC) programs; I received coaching training. I developed my network after the coaching training. I founded my first company in 2011. It became one of the largest coaching and training companies in Turkey.

Planificar significa generar estrategias que permita llegar a la meta que se desea lograr como persona o grupo. Dentro del ambito empresarial se plantean objetivos que permiten lograr el exito de la misma y el beneficio en todo el sentido de la palabra de todo el personal que integran la empresa. Esto nos indica que cuando los especialistas de la empresa señalan los objetivos que son lo mejor para la misma la planificacion debe estar alineada a ellos porque si no la empresa va en un sentido y la planificacion responde a otra realidad. Es importante que dentro de ese proceso se tiene claro con lo que se cuenta y lo que se busca y dentro de ella se debe tener claro los posibles riesgos

One of the most important mistakes made in this section is using qualitative and quantitative information. Even if you have 5 umbrellas made of thick paper, you cannot be protected from rain. But an umbrella made of waterproof protects you from rain. The quantitative amount of team members is not important. The quality of team members is valuable. This should be taken into consideration first when establishing the team.

Competency assessment will help us to identify the gap.Individual development plan to bridge the gap need to be arrived. Individuals readiness for a planned position can be enhanced with more effective development plan.

A rigorous assessment of your talent pool is foundational to robust succession planning. Use performance reviews, 360 feedback, behavioral interviews and other tools to evaluate capabilities, readiness, motivation and fit. Identify high-potentials with standout skills, leadership acumen, learning agility and growth mindset. Understand development needs through SWOT analysis. Assess bench strength across all critical roles, not just senior ones. Continually update your talent data to enable nimble succession moves. An accurate portrait of your people capabilities allows you to create aligned development plans and pipelines.

I believe that while assessing your talent pool, make sure you assess people on not just tasks that you perform, but tasks performed by people 1-2 levels above you, so that you have a path for the person being promoted and he has a vision of where he could reach. Things such as communication, promptness, knowledge, commitment, doing more than what is required and camaraderie are all part of the intangibles that also need to be assessed other than the technical capabilities of the person.

Understand what you already have and what paths you have in place for talent to progress! Identification of potential and robust training plans are essential to future proof for success and create a culture of upward mobility! My advice is to also consider mindset and desire rather than just looking at skill sets and data packages - consider the total person!

Assess your talent pool regularly to identify high-potential employees who could be groomed for future leadership roles. Evaluate their skills, performance, and potential for growth within the organization.

Já vivi situações em que a empresa teve dificuldades de direcionar o colaborador para novos desafios, porque ele não tinha preparado alguém para substituí-lo nas atividades que executava. Assim, o desenvolvimento do sucessor é fundamental, tanto para a motivação na equipe, quando para preparar a própria evolução do "sucedido".

Once high-potential successors are identified, targeted development is key to readiness. Create individualized plans - training, coaching, stretch assignments - to build critical skills. Offer visibility to senior leaders through high-impact projects. Measure progress with clear metrics and milestones. Give frequent feedback focused on growth. Communicate decision criteria and timelines transparently. Make their advancement a shared priority across the organization. Support work-life balance and wellbeing to sustain performance. Embrace them as partners in the succession process. With collaborative, robust development, your successors will thrive in their future leadership roles.

You've got to think of the time horizon for the different candidates. In case of someone winning the lottery, dying, being severely injured, you need someone that is close to being ready identified or you will have to look outside. If you have time, then train and develop multiple candidates so that someone is ready when needed. I like the 9-box tool for identifying the high potential candidates: Rating people as to ambition/capability for promotion 1 level or 2+ levels above where they are and their longer-term performance track record (underperform expectations, meeting expectations, exceeding expectations) on the other axis. Those with ambition/capability and performance are high performers to consider.

Potential candidates can bring their outstanding attitudes, perspectives and readiness to embrace leadership challenges, but what makes the transition into critical and core roles even more smooth is the support they receive. None of this "throw them in the deep end and see how far they can swim" nonsense. If you want your succession plans to be successful, then training and development support needs to be individually designed. Mentorship and coaching helps accelerate a smooth transition by providing expert advice, lived experience and non-judgemental feedback.

O plano de sucessão deve ser algo pensado e intencional e não movido por casualidade. Pensar na sucessão quando ocorre o turnover, aposentadoria, afastamento, etc, pode gerar um gap operacional e comprometer o resultado do time. Já atuei em empresas em que a metodologia forçava o gestor a desenhar o plano sucessório, inclusive como componente dos planos de continuidade de negócios.

This is critical as people change jobs and companies quite frequently. I find that updating succession plans at a minimum of 2 times per year can keep the pipeline of talent current and relevant.

Revisit succession plans frequently - at least annually, if not quarterly. Reshape development programs based on evolving business objectives and strategy pivots. Assess bench strength to confirm it aligns with projected needs. Provide opportunities for successors to demonstrate new capabilities. Have candid conversations to reevaluate interest and commitment. Be agile to adapt plans amid changes like turnover or reorganization. Solicit input from stakeholders at all levels to enhance transparency and buy-in. Succession planning is a living process, not a static event. Regularly review and refresh plans to maintain tight strategic alignment over time.

People change, they learn, they evolve and they grow. Sometimes they outgrow their roles faster than you can transition them into critical and core growth roles. It's up to you to ensure you match pace with potential candidates and keep them informed.

An up-to-date but small map is much better than an old comprehensive map. I always say that we should know what we want to do in the short term because we need seconds to make hours and minutes

Sucession planning should be part of process for all employees 1.Swot analysis to be made for all 2.open and honest feedback of giving and accepting gaps is key 3.competencies development and review is needed frequently 4.having a mentor is a must to guide us always 5.atttitude matters always. Gaps can be learnt .

A culture that embraces succession as a shared priority is key to maximize its impact. Communicate the value of developing people and driving the organization forward. Encourage mentoring and knowledge sharing across all levels. Reward those who support others' growth. Break down silos by building cross-functional assignments into plans. Lead by example in lifting up emerging talent. Foster trust and transparency in decisions. Succession planning should permeate the culture, not reside in HR alone. With an empowering succession mindset, your entire organization becomes a talent engine.

What a culture of succession doesn't look like... is unclear paths for growth and development within the company. When employees don't have clarity on clear pathways for progression it creates unintended gaps and negatively impacts organisational resilience in the face of unexpected changes or early departures.

I agree that succession planning is very important aspect in context of the business continuity. Every organisation shall have the plan in place - identify the role / position which is critical for the business process - identify the right people for the each level. - Evaluate them and provide adequate support or training to be prepared to take up the next level. - Plan for the rotation among the functions in the organisation makes the firm robust to face the business challenges

Cultivating a culture of succession in an organization is essential for its long-term success and sustainability. Succession planning ensures that there are capable and skilled individuals ready to step into key roles when the need arises, whether due to promotions, retirements, or unexpected departures.

Succession planning in career progression involves identifying and developing high-potential talent to fill key roles within an organization. Establish clear criteria for succession, including competencies, experience, and leadership qualities. Create individual development plans for high-potential employees, providing opportunities for growth and exposure to different areas of the business. Foster a culture of mentorship and coaching to support career advancement and knowledge transfer. Regularly review and update succession plans to adapt to changing business needs and talent landscape. By investing in succession planning, organizations can ensure continuity and readiness for future leadership transitions.

Succession planning is a critical aspect of career progression, as it ensures that there is a pipeline of qualified and capable candidates to fill open positions. One important practice that ought to be exercised in succession planning is assessing the skills and competencies of potential candidates to ensure they are qualified for the role. It is also critical to develop a strategic plan for training and development to ensure that potential candidates are prepared for the role.

As with most things in life, practice makes perfect when dealing with succession processes. Unfortunately, they tend to happen in a binary manner. One day someone is doing a task, the next day someone else is executing it. A good way of ensuring smooth transitions is to do "test failures". Instead of waiting for the actual succession event, have the person that is currently executing the tasks take a day of not doing anything while their successor does everything. That way they are available for questions and consults right there if needed. Do this a few times, each iteration making the extent longer. Start with a day, then two, then three, then a week. This planned transition model helps everyone succeed in successions.

In today's dynamic work environment, adaptability and resilience are invaluable traits. Successful individuals embrace change, remain flexible in their approach, and bounce back from setbacks with determination. view challenges as opportunities for growth and use adversity to propel their career forward. Managing time efficiently is crucial for career progression. Need to invest time in networking, maintain connections within their industry, and seek mentorship to gain insights and opportunities for advancement. The above habits, when consistently practiced, can significantly contribute to career progression.

One thing for leaders to remember is: "If you are irreplaceable, you are un-promotable". If you are the only person at an organisation that can do a specific tasks, you can not be promoted. I strongly believe that it is important to share knowledge, learn to delegate, coach and let the subordinates get to a point where you can learn a thing or two from them. Ensuring that you can percolate that thinking into everyone in the organisation will automatically lead to an organisation that has people who are sharing knowledge, moving up and the organisation also grows this way.