Succession Planning:

Filling and Developing

the Pipeline

Robert L. and Carolyn N. Turknett

Turknett Leadership Group
2310 Parklake Drive, Suite 500
Atlanta, GA 30345
770.270.1723
www.turknett.com
What is Succession Planning?

A systematic process designed to:

1. Identify key leadership positions
and hard-to-fill positions
2. Identify the critical competencies
that employees in those positions
require
3. Prepare for their replacement to
ensure the continued ability of an
organization to meet its strategic
goals and supporting objectives
 Succession Processes

Replacement Succession Succession

Planning Planning Management
Identification Yes Yes Yes
of Successors

Development Little or Yes Yes (often

of Successors none Talent Pools)

Managerial Top two or Top two or All, including

Levels three three any key
positions
Where are we now?

 Current State:
 If you had to grow your leadership team by
50% in 60 days, could you?
 “I know exactly what it takes to be promoted
in this company.” Would 75% answer yes?
 Demographic Challenges:
 The average age is ____ .
 ____ percent are over 59 years of age.
 The average length of service is ____ .
 What worries you:
 Knowledge loss?
 Hard to fill positions?
 Current practices:
 Using Nine-box?
 Talent review discussions?
 Clear development plans for high potentials?
 Key Definitions

Concept Definition
Critical or Roles that require planning because they feed
Feeder Roles into senior management or are critical to
organization success
Developmental Roles that provide excellent developmental
Roles experience

High Potential Someone who has been identified as having

the ability to advance

Nine-Box (9- Tool used to plot current performance and

Box) Grid future potential of a segment of the workforce

Talent Pool A group of people being prepared for higher-

level roles

Talent Review Broad review of talent to identify candidates

for development to higher levels. Usually
involves group discussion at multiple levels.
 Basic Succession Management Cycle

 Definition of Strategy and

Competencies needed for the Future
 Talent Review
 High Potential Identification
 Assessment and Gap Analysis
 Development Planning and Leadership
Development

Define ID
for Review High Assess Develop
Future Talent Potentials
 Define
for
The Problem of Alignment
Future

Silos in HR

Talent & Succession Planning

Staffing & On-Boarding
Performance Management
In many

Leadership Development


Compensation
organizations, each

Learning
HR service area
operates in its own
“silo”

Emphasis on programs vs. outcomes

Emphasis on discrete vs. integrated approaches

#1
Define
for
Competencies Create Alignment
Future

CORE & FUNC.

COMPETENCIES

Job Career
Descriptions Development

Structured Selection &

Behavioral Succession
Interviews Systems

Leadership
Training Development
(e.g., 360)

Performance
Management
Define Define Strategy and Competencies Needed
for
Future

 Picture the future and define strategy

 Define values
 Define competencies needed for the future
 Core
 Leadership
 Functional
Define
for
Competencies
Future

 Competencies are important knowledge, skills,

abilities, behaviors, and other characteristics
required to perform a job successfully
 Core Competencies are relevant to the entire
organization, and
 Align with the values of the organization
 Align with the strategy of the organization
 Functional Competencies are specific to a position
 Leadership Competencies are the competencies
specific to leaders in the organization
 All Competencies are:
 aligned to the specific requirements of the job
 customized by organization level
 Define
for
Competencies are Defined Behaviorally
Future

 Defined via behavioral anchors

 Describe expected performance at various
levels of position
 Focus on observable/verifiable behavior
 Set a “standard of effectiveness”
 Help calibrate ratings of performance across
raters
 Ensure alignment and accountability

#4
Review Talent Calibration and Talent Review
Talent

 A bottoms up approach – each manager

completes potential and performance
assessment of each direct report (feeds 9-
box)
 Must have already clearly defined
performance standards and markers of
potential specific to the organization
 In calibration meetings groups of managers
discuss ratings and come to consensus on
individuals – must cite specific behavioral
evidence
 In the Talent Review meetings senior leaders
discuss organization direction, the identified
high potential talent, diversity, and
development plans. Some assessment may
occur between calibration meetings and
review.
 Review 9-Box Talent Grid
Talent

Continuing investment High investment, help improve High investment and/or

(May be recently promoted)
1/3 performance
2/3 promote/give more
3/3
Accelerated
responsibility
Growth
 These “stars” are ready for an assignment
Potential at a higher organizational level –
challenge them.
Growth Potential

Monitor Continuing investment High investment, accelerate skill

Solid
1/2 2/2 development 3/2
Growth
Potential

Monitor Continuing investment Minimal investment but continue

Stable  Need to demand performance 1/1 2/1 to reward, retain 3/1
improvements
Growth
 May be in wrong job or at wrong level.
Potential Consider reassignment.

Needs Improvement Meets Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Past Performance
 Must Define Potential:
Review
Talent
Common Criteria for Potential

Potential Description
Criteria
Learning Agility Ability to learn from experience, self-
reflect and grow, adapt to change, etc.

Social Skills Basic social ability – emotional intelligence

Demonstration Demonstration of the organization’s

of Values/ values; integrity and character
Character
Motivation to High energy, wants to move to higher
Advance levels

Likelihood to Ability to succeed at higher positions

Advance within a specified amount of time

Markers of potential are essential for senior leadership

but more difficult to develop.
 GE Adaptation – Operational Excellence AND
Review
Talent
Values are Important

Restart (Second Reward/Promote

Opportunity) (Leaders of the
Future)
Values Low to High

Remove (Easy) Remove (Sends a

message)

Results Low to High

 ID
High
Identify High Potentials
Potentials

Charles Darwin Gene Siskel Albert Einstein

Janis Joplin Thomas Jefferson
Stanley Kubrick
Growth Potential

Louis Pasteur Natalie Wood Mary Cassatt

Henry Ford Marie Curie Neil Armstrong
John Kennedy Helen Keller

James Dean Marilyn Monroe Charlie Chaplin

Bruce Lee Katie Couric Winston Churchill
Johnny Carson Napoleon Bonaparte

Past Performance
 ID
High
Johnson & Johnson Folio Map
Potentials
High
The Four Lenses*
4
Potential 4 MT
Assessment SR
3
5

Potential Assessment
Performance
Results
4

Position’s Level Size of

of Accountability Circle

3
4
People Development
Codes
5 – Outstanding
2
4 – Superior
3
3 – Competent
2 – Needs Improvement Low
1 – Unacceptable Low Performance Results High
 ID
High
Put CHARACTER at the core.
Potentials

Turknett Leadership
Character Model™
Assess
Assessment and Gap Analysis

 Assessment against core, leadership and

functional competencies
 Gap Analysis for each person and for each
position
 Sample Assessment tools:
 360 Degree Feedback
 Hogan – Leadership Potential
 Hogan – Leadership Challenges
 Hogan – Values & Preferences
 Watson Glaser – Critical Thinking
 Turknett – Leadership Level interview
 Structured Behavioral Interview
 Assessment Center may be included
Develop
Plan for Development

 Create a specific developmental plan

for each high potential
 Can include:
 Movement to a developmental role
 Cross-functional projects or teams
 Stretch assignments
 Mentors
 Executive Coaching
 Action learning projects
 University programs, etc.
 Inclusion in special leadership
development processes
 Sample Leadership Development Process
Develop

Organization Continuing Lenses Leadership

Core Character and
Competencies Leader Levels

Team A Team A Team A

General
General
General Session
Session
Session Team B Team B Team B
Knowing
Leading
Knowing Others
Effectively
Yourself (Teamwork)

Team C Team C Team C

Individual Individual
Coaching Sessions Coaching Sessions

General Sessions - conducted with entire group in one location. The focus is on character as the foundation of
leadership, and on Leader Level development using constructive-developmental theory, reinforcing the key
organizational messages and developing the particular critical competencies essential to successful leadership in the
organization. Senior leaders can serve as teachers or providers of content and values.
Individual Coaching - Focused on feedback and real learning and growth from assessment. Includes 360-degree
feedback, personality assessment feedback, and work on development plans, with character and level of development
as a continuing lens.
Action Learning Teams – Small groups focus on projects identified as useful to the business. Teams learn about the
business and also focus on working effectively together. Results are usually presented to senior leadership.
Examples

 Start-up – who will lead?

 Professional services firm – who
succeeds?
 Mid-sized company – little succession
management experience
 Mid-sized company – advanced
systems
Mid-sized Company – New to succession
planning

 Informal nomination of high

potentials
 Assignment of mentors
 Discussions with senior leaders
 One-day training programs
 Minimal assessment
Mid-sized Company – Advanced HR
practices

 Identification of high potentials

through a rigorous talent review
 Extensive specification of
competencies
 Complete assessment on all
competencies (360, personality
assessment, structured interviews)
 Planning for each senior management
position
 Tailored development plans for each
person
Some questions to be answered…

 Who will lead the succession planning initiative at

your organization?
 How will the process be linked to strategy? What
are your core competencies?
 How is management involved in succession
planning?
 What are your critical positions? Key developmental
positions?
 How is “high potential” defined?
 What is your talent review process for identifying
employees with strong potential and for identifying
organization gaps? How will calibration occur?
 How will high potential employees be assessed?
 How will hi-pos receive developmental feedback?
 How will development planning be done?
 Will the process be open? Will high potentials know
they have been identified?
Additional Tool - Capability Grid

Critical Skills /Task/ Ready Now Ready 6-18

Knowledge months
Site design Jan S., Bill M. Susan F., Marshall
T.

Project Management –
construction
Utility load forecasting

GIS

Etc.