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It was 25 days ago when President Joe Biden’s position as a candidate for the forthcoming Presidential election became untenable.
On June 27, in a disastrous performance at the first and only presidential debate of 2024 thus, Biden struggled and stumbled over his words, at times appearing confused and unsure what to say next.
Although there has been growing speculation as to the mental acuity of the US’ oldest-ever president over recent months, including a report from Special Counsel Robert Hur in February accused Biden of “diminished faculties,” this was the final nail in the coffin.
Despite Biden’s claim that “only the Lord Almighty” could convince him to quit the presidential race, pressure from the media, polling data, and eventually House and Senate Democrats became unsurmountable.
Timing an exit is tough to get right
And so, on Sunday afternoon, Biden posted on X, confirming he would continue as President until January 2025 but would no longer be standing as a candidate for the next election.
Some described it as an act of selflessness. Others said it was long overdue and criticized both the length of time it to reach the decision, and the short (one minute’s) notice he gave to his staff.
This article is not the place for a blow-by-blow analysis of the politics within the Democrat party and all that has unfolded in the past days, weeks, and months. But there is a definite lesson for businesses, including HR professionals, to take away.
Timing the exit of a long-serving leader is tricky to get right. It’s probably why a TV show revolving around the concept of succession planning enamored millions of Americans last year.
It’s tough when the leader, still popular with many, does not want to relinquish their responsibility. In their mind – as was no doubt in the mind of Biden – lies the belief that there is truly no one better for the job than they are. That self-confidence is what makes some leaders so effective.
Knowing the right time to leave is a skill that is tricky to master, but working together with their senior staff, HR and development professionals should look to nurture that capability.
As we’ll come to shortly, HR teams can practice succession planning and attempt to induce a smooth, voluntary exit. However, more often than not, it’s only the leader themself who can pull the plug without things getting messy.
One senses in Biden’s case, for example, his exit was determined by a sudden personal acceptance of what others had been trying to tell him for weeks and months; that only once he accepted the polling data in front of him, was he ready to step down.
From this highest of high-profile examples, we learn that organizations should create a culture where leaders can spot when they are no longer the best fit for the role—and when selflessness is required for the benefit of the team, workforce, or company.
Biden’s step down shows the need for succession planning
Although Biden’s sixty-second notice to his staff of his decision was hardly generous, it’s not as though Democrats haven’t had the warning or foresight to plan for his successor in the presidential race.
With all 50 state Democratic party chairs having endorsed Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate to replace Biden, it’s a confirmation of who many expected would be his natural successor. No doubt the wheels deep below the surface have been in motion for some time.
Biden’s near-impossible decision to step down was probably a little easier knowing that there was at least one viable candidate to succeed him.
Similarly, from an organizational perspective, effective succession planning can help business leaders have a clear idea of when they are no longer the best person for the job and show them an alternative path forward. This could also give them visibility of their own path forward inside (or outside) the company and leave all parties better prepared for the change in leadership.
When the time comes for an exit – or for the leader to move onto a new role within the company – reactiveness is often the cause of frustration for all parties. It can feel like the decision has been stretched out or has come too late, and all are worse off for it. Proactive succession planning is the remedy to this.
And although it’s been a tough month for Biden, perhaps this decision has just about come in time to protect his legacy, to make the upcoming election more closely fought than it otherwise would have been, and to show the value of a gracious goodbye.
