Our Methods for Developing a Succession Plan

SuccessionPlanning Objectives

• Inventory key managerial candidates in terms of their leadership styles, skills, gaps in skills and ultimate potential.

• Design an advancement plan for each candidate and incorporate it into their performance management process.

Analyze Top Jobs, Future Jobs, and CriticalSuccess Factors

• Review current job descriptions and identify and changes that are required.

• Integrate key leadership competencies with the job description.

• Build a job profile:  How critical is each success factor and how proficient must the job holder be in each factor?

Interviewand Test the Candidates

• Test for key predictors of future success

• Testfor vocational interest and preferences, likes and dislikes, and areas of motivation.

• Collect 360° data on Leadership skills and styles.
• Develop reports for candidate and management that detail strengths, gaps, andpotential.

Feedback Meetings with Candidate and Manager

• Debrief each candidate on their report, focusing on strengths,gaps, and potential.

• Have each candidate design a development and advancement plandraft to present to their own manager for collaborative refinement andfinalization.

• Debrief manager onoverall findings.

• Discuss key issues:  strengths,gaps, development needs, potential/capacity, and options/opportunities for thefuture for each candidate.

• Prepare candidate’s boss for collaborative meeting with thecandidate re:  development and advancement plan.

FacilitateAdvancement Plan Meeting

• Convenemeeting with candidate, consultant, and manager to reach consensus on theindividual’s plan.

• Ensure that plan is fully linked with business’ on-going strategic plan.

• Identify high-impact development opportunities for each candidate

• Set in motion a mechanism by which advancement plan is integrated intoperformance management process and audited on a regular basis.
• Build in feedback loop to ensure that advancement plan is updatedand fine-tuned on a real-time basis.

Exploit The Best Practices In Succession Planning

• Link the succession planning and leadership development initiatives directly to the business strategy

• Focus on performance development and results

• Provide candidates with diagnostic feedback and then encourageself-development

• Define a clear role and responsibilities for the candidate's manager

• Finally, risk placing talented people in jobs or tasks for which they arenot fully qualified; those fully qualified for an opportunity are leastlikely to develop in it.

Doyou want more information about our succession planning process?  Please clickhere.