How can current leaders guide their organizations through the succession planning process?

Leaders who are effective are best-able to develop succession planning that will also be effective. Effective leaders should follow these five steps to guide their organizations through the succession planning process:

1. Identify business challenges. Define leadership competencies needed to meet current and future business challenges.

2. Identify and prioritize leadership needs. Outline resources needed to meet critical business objectives.

3. Evaluate level of mastery. Determine whether talented successors possess all needed leadership skills or if additional development is needed to ensure success.

4. Outline framework to meet targeted outcomes. Determine the scope and frequency of learning events needed to provide talented leaders with opportunities to master leadership skills.

5. Involve stakeholders. Gain consensus among critical stakeholders for how success is measured-both for the leadership development process and for the leaders themselves.

SOURCE:Prescriptive Development: Linking Business Outcomes to Succession Planning & Talent Management, presented by Dr. Pete Hammett in a June 3, 2007 ASTD conference hosted by the Center for Creative Leadership and Pearson Performance Solutions.