Leadership | Succession planning for future talent

It is a well-known fact that leadership experience, and specifically C-Suite talent, is in short supply.

The average tenure of executive leaders is declining, and a new generation of talent is stepping into leadership roles much earlier and with less experience than their predecessors. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to accelerate this trend.

Consequently, a key element of a HR and/or Talent Director’s role is to demonstrate to their CEO, Board and, in some sectors, their regulators, that they have a robust succession planning process in place that is linked to their business strategy and equips up-and-coming leaders with the skills to thrive in a world of ever-increasing disruption, non-more so than COVID-19.

So, what are the practical steps needed to build an effective succession plan? Basil leRoux, Head of Berwick Partners’ HR Leadership practice, spoke with David Baty, a Partner in Odgers Berndtson’s Executive Assessment & Development practice, who has identified six key steps to creating a succession plan that is dynamic and fit for purpose.