Understanding Succession Planning: Principles, Practice and Process

Interactive Session

Dwayne Devonish, Ph. D

Facilitator
 Objectives
• Provide participants with clear definition of
succession planning,
• Discuss common misconceptions on
succession planning,
• Explain the best practice process of succession
planning in organisations.
 Succession Planning
• A systematic approach to ensuring leadership
continuity within an organisation by
recruiting and/or encouraging individual
growth and development.

• It’s not about having people...it’s about having

the right people, in the right place, at the right
time.
 Common Misconceptions about Succession
Planning
• External candidates will always be more qualified,
motivated and successful in the role.
• Once you have a suitable internal candidate, you
don’t need an external candidate.....???
• The successor has to be ready at this moment.
• Succession planning focuses on a single person
and a single role.
• Succession planning is a one-off event rather
than a planned process.
 Key Steps in Succession Planning Process

• Step 1: Assessment of Key Positions

• Step 2: Identification of Key Role
Competencies
• Step 3: Identification and Assessment of Talent
Pool/Potential Role Successors
• Step 4: Formulation of Development Plans
• Step 5: Implementation and Evaluation of
Planning Efforts
 Step 1: Assessment of Key Positions
• The first step is to identify key positions in the
organisation.
• Key positions are critical positions which represent
those positions, if left vacant, that would have a
significant impact on the organisation’s ability to
conduct their business or fulfil their key goals.
• Key positions are also those with high retention risk –
those positions are those where the departure of
employees is expected (e.g. retirement) or likely (e.g.
history of turnover).
 Other Key Questions for Step 1
1. What jobs, if vacant, have the potential to prevent the
organization from achieving goals and objectives?
2. ™What jobs have a direct impact on the public?
3. ™What jobs would be difficult to fill because of required
expertise or because the exiting incumbent possesses a
wealth of unique and/or corporate knowledge?
4. ™Is there a projected labour market shortage for
relevant job skills?
5. ™Is there a need to plan for anticipated positions that
do not currently exist?
 Step 2: Identification of Key Role
Competencies
• A competency is any observable and/or measurable
knowledge, skill, ability or behaviour that contributes to
successful performance in a given role.
• All positions have a set of key competencies required for
successful performance.
• It is important, at this step, to identify these key competencies in
the identified key positions in Step 1.

Identifying competencies helps in:

• Establishing minimum requirements for job success;
• ™Creating a baseline for assessing interested potential
candidates;
• ™Identifying appropriate learning and development
 Methods to Support
Step 2: Identify Key Competencies
• Reviewing existing job descriptions and other materials
describing the nature and content of the jobs.
• Interviewing current and past job incumbents.
• Interviewing clients/customers, supervisors and other
stakeholders who come in contact with said roles.
• Reviewing existing development programmes and core
organisational values (e.g. existing strategic planning
documents, training plans).
 Step 3: Identify and Assess Talent Pool
(Potential Role Candidates)
• The next step concerns the identification of suitable talent
pool for identified positions or roles in the organisation.
• Talent pools are groups of high-potential candidates or
employees (internal or external) who are being developed to
meet the competency/position requirements for critical
positions.
• These talent pools must be assessed to determine (1) how
much of the requisite competencies for identified roles
candidates possess, and (2) the potential of candidates to be
developed for identified roles.
• Assessment allows for mapping skills required (step 2)
against skills possessed (step 3) to determine gaps (gap
analysis) and potentials (as well as avenues to promote
development, if possible).
 Assessment methods may include:

• Performance appraisals (traditional and 360

degree evaluations)
• Training needs assessments
• Talent Interviews
• Observations
• Meetings with Supervisors/Managers of
Candidates
 Assessment Criteria to Support Step 3
Assessment of Candidates
• Performance: refers to employees’ current performance
relative to performance goals attached to the existing role.
• Readiness: refers to employees’ ability to take on greater
responsibility inherent in a higher-level role or post or
ability to take on more complex tasks in identified roles.
• Willingness: refers to employees’ willingness and
preparation levels to assume new roles.
• Criticalness: refers to whether the employee is identified
as ‘critical’ for succession planning purposes in achieving
operational and strategic goals.
 Step 4: Develop Development Plans
• The next step is to formulate development plans for assisting
management and potential successors in preparing for
identified role.
• Individual development plans are used for employees and
can incorporated into a broader succession management
strategy for the organisation.
• Development plans involve documenting clear objectives,
identified avenues and opportunities/strategies for
developing and preparing potential successors, and other
details on how these avenues/opportunities should
implemented and evaluated.
• Plans should focus on decreasing or removing the gap
between expected competencies and the current knowledge,
skills and abilities of candidates.
 Content of Individual Development Plans

• Development plans should be formulated in collaboration

with employees and should cover the following:
 Current Role Description
 Gap analysis for Future Role (current competencies vs future
competency needs)
 Development Goals (Short, Medium and Long-term)
 Identified training and development strategies/opportunities
 Other avenues for development: e.g. mentorship, coaching,
job rotation, cross-training, special projects/assignments
 Targets to be achieved (deliverables)
 Timelines/Deadlines
 Step 5: Implement and Evaluate
• Implementing succession planning initiatives
involves the assignment and acceptance of
responsibilities to ensure successful outcomes.
• The performance of these responsibilities must
be monitored and evaluated thoroughly and
periodically.
• Contingencies should be in place to deal with
unexpected events and situations which may
affect any element of the succession journey.
Evaluation Questions for Succession Planning
Efforts
• Have all key jobs been identified and do they have succession
plans?
• ™™What is the impact of learning and development efforts?
• Are employees ready to compete for a vacant key position?
• ™Is the candidate pool diverse and reflective of employment
equity values?
• ™What are the areas for improvement in the succession
planning process?
• What is the impact of succession plans on business continuity
in key positions?
• ™Are successful candidates performing well in their new roles?
A Good Succession Management Strategy

 At the start, a good succession management

strategy helps management in succession
planning process and involves key human
resource specific strategies to ensure successors
are identified and prepared such as:
 Developing internal talent pools
 Onboarding
 Recruitment
 Dealing with Barriers
• Communication is key....provide a realistic role preview
during discussions with potential role successors at the
start – Be honest!!!
• Discuss the most appropriate incentives and outcomes
for sustaining developmental and preparation efforts
with employees and management – ensure that
potential role successors are engaged, committed
motivated.
• Support from the top is critical for motivation at the
bottom.
• Plan for unexpected changes in organisation....
Success Factors for Succession Plan
• Succession plan should include:
 Clearly defined specific goals
 Plans to aligned to support organisation’s mission
and objectives
 Identification of key roles for succession and talent
requirements
 Logistics on how successors are to chosen, elected
or replaced
 Roles and responsibilities