Successor Development Worksheet

Developing and/or identifying the appropriate successor for an organization can be both challenging and exciting. Some companies will carefully groom an existing team member for this role and others will choose to hire their senior expertise from outside of the organization – depending upon the future needs of the organization and the skills available within.

Use this worksheet to think through some crucial questions. For instance:

• Has the company completed a strategic plan that clearly articulates the goals for the future and the steps needed to accomplish those goals?
• Has the Board or Executive Team identified the skills and talent needed by the senior manager(s) to accomplish the strategic goals?
• Does an existing team member (or members) possess the appropriate skills and/or can they acquire the skills necessary to lead the organization in the future?

You will check “yes” or “no” for each question and work with your client to develop the appropriate recommendations.

Bonus! Check out the Sample Management Development Training Plan below – we often find this to be a useful tool in creating a training and development plan for an emerging leader.