Succession Planning Toolkit
Succession planning is the process of identifying the critical positions
Beware of
within your organization and developing action plans for individuals unconscious bias
to assume those positions. Taking a holistic view of current and future you may bring to
goals, this process ensures that you have the right people in the right succession planning.
jobs today and in the years to come. It is well documented
that managers
A succession plan identifies future staffing needs and the people with the tend to hire and
skills and potential to perform in these future roles. promote people
who are like
In the long term, succession planning strengthens the overall capability of them. At ASFII,
the organization by: we strive to foster
• Identifying critical positions and highlighting potential vacancies; an inclusive and
diverse workplace.
• Selecting key competencies and skills necessary for business continuity; and
We strongly
• Focusing development of individuals to meet future business needs. recommend that
succession planning
Included in this toolkit are templates and tips for: is a collaborative
process within your
• Ensuring succession planning is closely tied to business strategy and goals; organization with a
• Understanding the importance of engaging executive and senior leaders broad array of leaders
in the process; adding input into
the identification,
• Clearly defining the development of key talent; and
selection, and
• Ensuring staff understand their role in the process and know what is mentoring process.
expected of them.
If you need assistance in getting succession planning started, contact Human
Resources.
SUCCESSION PLANNING PROCESS OVERVIEW
ASSESS
• Identify significant business challenges in the next 1–5 years
• Identify critical positions that will be needed to support business continuity
• Identify competencies, skills and institutional knowledge that are critical success factors
EVALUATE
• Consider high potential employees
• Select the competencies individuals will need to be successful in positions and to meet identified business challenges
• Categorize skill or competency gaps
• Predict the likelihood for attracting a robust and qualified candidate pool
DEVELOP
• Capture the knowledge that individuals possess before departing the organization
• Develop a pool of talent to step into critical positions through targeted career development strategies
STEP 1 Identify significant business challenges
in the next 1–5 years
Your department’s strategic plan is a great place to start in identifying current and future
challenges. If your department doesn’t have a strategic plan or it is not drilled down enough to your
team’s specific strategies and priorities, an environmental scan can provide you with enough
information to start the succession planning process.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN WORKSHEET
Environmental scans can be conducted during a brainstorming session at a team meeting, as part of a
management retreat, through surveying or talking with stakeholders, or by a combination of these methods.
Participants:
Date:
What’s happening inside and outside your organization…
Right now? In the near future? In the distant future?
STEP 2 Identify critical positions that will be needed
to support business continuity
Since the next step involves identifying critical positions that your succession plan will be built
around, we recommend your department’s HR administrator and/or assigned HR consultant be
involved in this part of the process.
CRITICAL POSITION WORKSHEET
Review positions at the director level and above to determine which positions are key. Also, consider including
individual contributor positions that require a particularly unique skillset, are traditionally hard to recruit for, or have
a high turnover rate. Evaluate the impact each position has in achieving the strategic goals and objectives, as well
as the vacancy risk and marketability of the incumbent.
Position Title:
Position Payroll
Fille Vacan
d t
Title:
Position IMPACT:
POSITION Status: High Medium Low
Assessment of “Position Impact” should be based on a prioritized list of the department’s mission,
goals, objectives, and strategic plan.
VACANCY RISK: High Medium Low
Assessment of “Vacancy Risk” should be based on factors such as the incumbent’s retirement
eligibility, marketability, etc.
STEP 3 Identify competencies, skills and institutional
knowledge that are critical success factors
After you determine which positions are mission critical and have a significant vacancy risk,
identify competencies, skills and institutional knowledge that are critical success factors for each
of the positions that require a succession plan.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR WORKSHEET
Position Title:
Position Payroll Title:
Education:
(degrees, certifications, licensure)
Work Experiences:
CORE COMPETENCIES TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES
Communication Project Management
Strategic Planning Policy Development and Analysis
Building Productive Relationships Budget Management
Continuously Improving Quality Human Resources Management
Developing Self Legal Compliance
Focusing on Customers Computer Systems & Technology
Valuing Cultural Diversity Program Development
Managing Change Data Analysis
Developing and Coaching Others Contract Management
Other skills?
IDENTIFY UNIQUE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE OR RELATIONSHIPS
What unique institutional knowledge or relationships are inherent to the success of this position?
Does anyone else have this knowledge in the organization? If so, who?
How critical is it that this knowledge is documented and shared? High Medium Low
PLAN FOR SHARING KNOWLEDGE
process documentation mentoring
job aids job rotation
job shadowing other:
STEP 4 Consider high potential employees
After you have evaluated which positions require a succession plan, the next step is to consider if there
are current staff members ready to successfully assume the role or have potential to grow into it
over time.
Working with your HR administrator or HR consultant, determine which staff members are currently
eligible or may be eligible within 3-5 years for prioritized positions.
If you are conducting this succession planning exercise as a leadership team, be aware that high potential
employees are often not distributed evenly within an organization. Be willing to have honest conversations
and remember that just because an individual is not identified as high potential doesn’t mean that they are
not a strong individual contributor, nor should they be denied access to professional development
activities.
HIGH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEE IDENTIFICATION
Name:
Position Title:
Unit:
Years in Current Position:
Current Supervisor:
Target Position:
Target Position
Key Competencies:
Ready: now within 1 year within 2 years within 3–5 years
ACTION PLAN:
STEP 5 Select the competencies individuals will
need to be successful in positions and to
meet identified business challenges
Preparing an individual to progress in the organization is not a cookie-cutter
Career development
process. It often takes a combination of formal training, thoughtful coaching,
should be a part of
trusted mentorship, and key assignments. Managers and executive leadership
your organization’s
play a key role in creating access/removing barriers to key assignments and
regular HR practices
providing honest feedback along the way.
and not only reserved
for high potential
Managers should be having ongoing career development conversations
individuals. Contact HR-
with all employees in addition to their annual performance reviews. Career
OD for more
development conversations with high potential employees should be focused
information about
on closing the gaps and/or strengthen existing skills and competencies.
developing a
department-wide career
development program.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN
WORKSHEET
Name: Position Title: Unit:
Supervisor Name:
Supervisor Title:
LONG TERM GOALS
What are your long-term career goals over the next 3–5 years? Describe how your long-term goals fit in with the goals
and priorities of your department?
1.
2.
(continued)
CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN WORKSHEET (page 2)
SHORT TERM GOALS
What are your career goals for the next year or two (these may or may not be the same as your annual
performance goals)? Describe how your short-term goals fit in with the goals and priorities of your department.
1.
2.
3.
4.
SKILL AND COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
What skills or competencies do you need to build to reach your goals?
Skill or Competency Training Activities Target Associated RESULTS
to be Developed (formal training, mentorship, cross Dates Costs
training, independent learning, etc.)
This career development plan provides an opportunity to demonstrate your career potential and is not a guarantee of
a promotion. The plan should be evaluated at least every six months and adjusted as needed based on organizational
and/or personal priorities.
/
Employee signature & date
/
Supervisor signature & date
CAREER DEVELOPMENT CHEATSHEET
What do you want to strengthen?
Investigate:
• professional certifications
Try cross-functional committee work, • relevant courses
job rotation, and job shadowing • conferences
• journal subscriptions
Organizational Position-Specific
• research projects
Resources Expertise
• self-study
• Participate in organization events
• Assign responsibility for reading and
understanding leadership messages
• Strategic leadership programs
• Find opportunities to participate on
organization-wide committees • Mentorship with a senior leader
• Attend meet-and-greets with
targeted colleagues from other
departments
• Arrange for mentoring by a leader Management
Organization Knowledge
from another department Skills
and Understanding
• Leadership coaching
• Mentorship with a senior leader
• Register for courses/ trainings • Stretch assignments to lead
offered by HR department-wide teams and initiatives
Leadership
Communication
Skills
Skills
Before going into a career development discussion or collaborating on the
Career Development Plan Worksheet, managers should prepare by reflecting
on the following questions:
• What are the employee’s career goals? Are they realistic? Are they compatible with
the organizational goals and needs?
• What actions has the employee completed so far? How successful were they?
• In what areas do you think the employee needs to develop new or more refined skills?
• Are there additional skills or competencies the employee should focus on to achieve
their desired career goal?
• What resources, training, or experience can you provide to help them reach their goal?
Is there additional knowledge, certification, or education the employee needs to acquire?
• What shifts in current priority or workload can you accommodate to ensure the
employee has bandwidth to pursue development opportunities?
