Succession planning is something most managers know they should be doing but few actually do. It feels like a problem for another day, something to think about when someone hands in their notice or when a promotion is on the horizon. But by then it is already too late. The best time to start thinking about who could step into critical roles is long before those roles become vacant. A good succession plan protects the team from disruption, accelerates development for high-potential team members, and gives you the confidence to pursue your own next opportunity knowing that your team will be in capable hands.
The mark of a great manager is not that the team cannot function without them. It is that the team barely misses a beat when they move on.
Why every manager needs one
Succession planning is not just for senior leadership or large organisations. For more on this, see our guide on developing your team members. Every manager, regardless of team size, benefits from thinking about continuity. People leave, get promoted, go on extended leave, or change roles more often than we expect. Without a plan, each departure triggers a scramble that disrupts the team and puts pressure on everyone who remains. With a plan, transitions become manageable events rather than crises.
- Reduces riskIf your team has single points of failure, where one person leaving would create a serious gap, you have a vulnerability. Succession planning identifies these risks early and gives you time to spread knowledge and capability before it becomes urgent.
- Drives developmentPreparing someone to step into a bigger role is one of the most effective ways to develop them. It gives their growth a purpose and direction. People who can see a realistic path forward are more engaged, more motivated, and more likely to stay.
- Frees you to growYour own career progression depends on someone being ready to take over from you. If you are the only person who can do your job, you become trapped in it. Building a successor is not just good for the team, it is essential for your own future.
- Builds team resilienceA team with succession depth is a team that can handle change. When people know that others can step in during absences or transitions, it reduces anxiety and creates a culture of shared responsibility rather than individual dependency.
Identifying potential successors
Identifying who could step into a role is not the same as picking a favourite. The targets featurein Manager Toolkit supports this. It requires an honest, structured assessment of your team's capabilities, potential, and aspirations. The best candidate is not always the most senior or the highest performer in their current role. Succession is about readiness for a different role, and that depends on a combination of skills, temperament, and genuine interest in the opportunity.
- Assess potential, not just performanceHigh performance in a current role does not guarantee success in a more senior one. Look for people who demonstrate the behaviours needed at the next level: strategic thinking, influence, resilience under pressure, and the ability to develop others.
- Consider aspirationNot everyone wants to move into a leadership or management role, and that is perfectly valid. Have honest conversations about career ambitions before including someone in your succession plan. Assuming someone wants a role without asking can lead to uncomfortable situations for everyone.
- Look beyond the obviousSuccession candidates do not have to be the loudest voices in the room. Quieter team members who consistently deliver, build strong relationships, and show good judgement may be excellent candidates who simply need more visibility and opportunity to demonstrate their readiness.
- Identify gaps honestlyFor each potential successor, be clear about what they can do now and what they still need to develop. This is not about finding a perfect replacement. It is about understanding the development journey needed and whether there is enough time to close the gaps before the role becomes available.
- Have more than one optionRelying on a single successor is almost as risky as having no plan at all. Where possible, identify two or three people at different stages of readiness. This gives you flexibility if circumstances change and ensures you are developing multiple people rather than putting all your investment into one.
Developing your bench
Identifying potential successors is only the starting point. The real value of a succession plan comes from actively developing those people so they are genuinely ready when the time comes. Our article on development plans explores this further. This means creating deliberate opportunities for growth, providing the right level of support and challenge, and being honest about progress along the way. Development for succession should be integrated into daily work, not treated as a separate programme that sits on top of everything else.
- Delegate strategicallyGive potential successors responsibility for tasks and decisions that stretch them into the next-level role. This is not about dumping work on them. It is about choosing assignments that develop specific capabilities they will need, such as running a meeting with senior stakeholders or leading a cross-team initiative.
- Create exposureHelp your succession candidates build relationships and visibility beyond the team. Invite them to present at leadership meetings, introduce them to key stakeholders, and give them opportunities to represent the team externally. Visibility accelerates both their development and their credibility.
- Provide coaching and feedbackRegular, honest feedback on how they are progressing towards readiness is essential. Do not wait for formal reviews. Use catchups to discuss what they are learning from stretch assignments, what went well, and what they would do differently next time.
- Encourage peer learningConnect potential successors with managers in other teams or more senior leaders who can offer different perspectives. A mentoring relationship outside the direct reporting line gives them a safe space to discuss challenges and learn from experience that you may not be able to provide.
Keeping the plan current
A succession plan is not a one-time exercise. Teams change, people grow, ambitions shift, and the roles themselves evolve. A plan that was accurate six months ago may be completely outdated today. The discipline of regular review is what separates a useful succession plan from a forgotten document. Build it into your rhythm and treat it as a living tool rather than a completed task.
- Review quarterlySet a recurring reminder to review your succession plan at least once a quarter. Assess whether your identified successors are still the right people, whether their development is progressing, and whether any new candidates have emerged who should be considered.
- Update after changesWhenever someone joins, leaves, or changes role within your team, revisit the plan. Team composition changes affect succession readiness, and a plan that does not reflect the current team is not useful. Make updates promptly rather than waiting for the next scheduled review.
- Discuss with your managerShare your succession thinking with your own manager. This gives them confidence that you are building team resilience and also opens the door to additional support, whether that is budget for development, access to mentoring programmes, or visibility for your succession candidates at a higher level.
- Be transparent where appropriateYou do not need to share the full plan with the whole team, but being open about your commitment to developing people and creating growth opportunities sets a positive tone. When team members see that you are invested in their futures, it builds trust and engagement across the board.
- Test readiness through absenceTake holidays and let your potential successors step in. Planned absences are a safe way to test whether someone is ready for more responsibility. The experience is valuable for them, and it gives you real evidence of their readiness rather than relying on assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
Track development goals and measure progress
Set targets for your team members and track their growth over time so succession planning becomes part of your routine.