Succession Planning: Tools & Strategies

Introduction:

Succession planning is an important strategic management tool that helps organisations to identify and develop potential candidates for leadership and management positions within an organisation. Tut (2006) reports on Hay Group Consulting findings that only 5 to 10 percent of companies practice succession planning while the rest only scramble to find a replacement when the position becomes vacant. 

Overall Objective:

Provide guidance through the succession planning process, tools needed and subsequent managing of talent interventions

Contents:

• • Succession Planning Steps: Assessment of Individuals Using State of the Art Methods and Tools
    • Interviewing – Uncover character-related attributes necessary for success in particular key positions
    • Competency mapping and inventory – Does this individual have the basic requirements for a particular position?
    • Differentiating competency inventory – Does this individual have the competencies especially required for a particular position or the potential to grow into the position?

• • Performance vs Potentiality: Conducting a ‘9 Box’ Review Within an Organisation as Part of the Succession Planning Process
    • The concept of Talent Inventory Review
    • The Performance Management Process
    • Principles of 9 Box grid
    • Facilitating employee placements into the ‘9 Box’ grid
    • Capturing and documenting talent profiles of selected talents

• • Developing a Succession Plan for Critical Positions for the Organisation
    • The concept of succession planning and its impact to organisations
    • Organising a succession planning session for the various layers in organisations
    • Summarising, documenting and reporting the Succession Plan output
    • Developing and executing a key talent management plan for potentials
• • Managing High Potential Candidates (and current high performers) and Key Talents: Succession Planning & Competencies
    • A general/core competency model
    • Dimensions of Leadership Competency Model
• • Management/Leadership Development Interventions: The 3 Phases of Executive Development
    • Designing, creating (curriculum) and implementing the right development opportunities for individuals and the organisation