Succession planning is easier to discuss before a leader announces their departure. It creates space to consider what the organisation will need next, which internal colleagues could grow into the role and where external experience might be valuable.
CIPD describes succession planning as part of preparing people for future roles. For a hiring team, the practical task is to turn that intention into a considered set of options.
Identify the role’s future requirements
Do not begin by looking for a copy of the current incumbent. Consider how the organisation is changing and which responsibilities may develop, move or disappear. Separate immediate continuity from the longer-term leadership requirement.
Record the knowledge and relationships on which the business depends. Some continuity risks are better addressed through documentation and shared ownership than through a replacement search alone.
Assess internal readiness fairly
Evaluate potential successors against the future role, using relevant evidence and clear expectations. Distinguish someone who could step in now from someone who needs further experience.
Development should be practical: an additional responsibility, exposure to a different function or a supported opportunity to lead a project. Avoid presenting a development conversation as a guaranteed promotion.
Understand external options carefully
External market research can help the organisation understand different experience profiles and the scope of a possible search. Decide what information can be shared, who can approach people and when the organisation’s identity may be disclosed.
Do not invite candidates into an apparently active vacancy when no appointment is authorised. Clear communication protects their time and the credibility of the process.
Give the plan an owner
Set a review date and define the events that would trigger a change. Business priorities, an internal colleague’s readiness or the current leader’s responsibilities may evolve.
When a vacancy becomes real, revisit the requirements and assess candidates through an agreed process. Preparation should make the decision better informed without turning an early assumption into a predetermined outcome.
Further reading: CIPD: Succession planning.
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