For many organizations today, managing an effective succession process is a bit like rafting the white water rapids. Replacement costs are high, the pace of leadership departures continues to increase, Boards are demanding robust planning and reporting, and many succession candidates simply aren’t ready to advance. Is your team prepared to effectively navigate the white water?

1. well, it may take a little
coaching on transformational
change leadership.
*VUCA: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous
RIDING THE RAPIDS
OF SUCCESSION
MANAGEMENT
SUCCESSION MANAGEMENT
IN TODAY’S PERPET UAL
WHITE WATER WORLD OF WORK

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Is your Succession
Planning boat
launched and in
the water?
If so, are you
prepared for the
white water?

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aging workforce and
accelerated exits are
increasing risks of
knowledge loss
traditional
organizational
boundaries are
blurring
complex organization models
(e.g.: matrixed, agile) are
driving non-linear, yet tightly-
coupled interactions
a big class of
emerging leaders
as a result of
generational shifts
evolving leadership
roles are demanding
new capabilities
rapid and constant
change creates on-
going turbulence
Why do we ask?
Because successfully maintaining effective
succession planning in today’s world of work is a
lot like navigating fast moving water where
hidden rocks and curves abound.

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And the costs of getting it
wrong are high!
Heidrick and Struggles 2010
Global Human Capital Trends 2015 & 2016
40%
AVERAGE LOSS TO
SHAREHOLDER VALUE WHEN
LARGE PUBLIC COMPANIES
SCRAMBLE TO FIND
REPLACEMENTS FOR
DEPARTING C-SUITES
$1.8B
OF NEWLY PLACED
SUCCESSOR CEOs FAIL TO
MEET PERFORMANCE
EXPECTATIONS IN THE FIRST
18 MONTHS
AVERAGE COST OF
UNPLANNED
SUCCESSION
10X
SALARY FOR SENIOR
LEADERSHIP, UP TO 100X
SALARY FOR CEO
DEPARTURE

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So what does
it take to be
prepared and
safely read the
river?
Five tips to navigate the Succession Planning
white water that will keep you from capsizing!

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ready your boat… avoid…
“In times of turbulence, the biggest danger is to act
with yesterday’s logic” - Peter Drucker
TIP #1
▪ focusing exclusively on executive
▪ limiting your pipeline to 1-to-1
▪ thinking that status quo is good enough
▪ accepting that HR “owns” it
▪ thinking you’re okay because you’ve
made it this far (without your boat
capsizing) with no succession plan

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Tip#2
read the river…. the big picture
shift from
Succession
PLANNING
to
Succession
MANAGEMENT
Succession MANAGEMENT is:
Business-led… meaning your leaders are
owning and driving the process
Interconnected… with other talent practices
and aligned with your business strategy
Future-focused… roles and success profiles of
the future are known and planned for
Agile… talent pools of diverse and broad-
based candidates
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Tip #3
cast a wide net
▪ Create diverse talent co-horts where successor candidates
can learn and grow together
▪ Look beyond employee capabilities to also consider
aspirations and engagement
▪ Create successor talent pools
from the less obvious areas of
the business
▪ Reach into your STEM and
millennial talent pools now,
don’t wait

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Tip #4
outfit your rig
Assessment tools
that compliment your
needs and culture. Assess
for potential, cultural fit,
capabilities, and
aspirations.
Critical role profiles
that clarify what success
looks like in terms of
capabilities, experiences,
and accountabilities of
key roles.
Use tools that give you a complete view of your talent inventory
Talent profiles
that provide visibility
into your people on an
individual and
aggregate level across
critical talent pools.

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Tip #5
respect the rapids
Be transparent!
Transfer development ownership to the individual
Focus on collective, rather than individual leadership
Recognize that mindset, resilience, and leading
through complexity* will be required, not just desired,
for white water leaders
For Succession Management to deliver ready resources when you need them, we recommend
building an environment where your people and leaders are equipped to thrive in today’s
whitewater business world. Consider these ideas to create a culture of growth:
Nothing
about me
without me! *Shameless Plug: Interested in growing your people in these areas? We work with
teams all the time to do just that! Give us a call and let’s talk!
Create a thriving growth culture

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Navigating the white water of the business word? Ready your boat, read the river and get going!
1. Ready your boat – avoid the “old school” pitfalls of traditional Succession Planning
2. Read the river – navigate the big picture shifts from Succession Planning to
Succession Management
3. Cast a wide net – create diverse talent pools rather than 1:1 replacement plans
4. Outfit your rig – ensure you have the tools that give you a complete view of your
talent and their development needs
5. Respect the rapids – create a Culture of Growth and build an environment where
your people will thrive
Like what you’ve read? Share it! (see that little arrow in the left corner?)
Got it? Let’s review.
Your people will
thank you.

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your people = your success.
© 2017 PeopleFirm LLC All Rights Reserved | www.peoplefirm.com
need help putting these ideas into action?
let’s talk
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inspired people driving inspiring performance. We focus on effective tools,
measurable, outcomes, real results, and getting your people out of their seats
and engaged in your company’s growth.
info@peoplefirm.com (206) 462-6462