EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINE MAYFIELD

Why do you think succession planning often gets deprioritized, even in organizations that value long-term strategy?

It often gets deprioritized because it’s complex—it requires quite an investment, and yet the roles are still getting filled. The roles themselves are also changing very quickly. With restructuring, redefining positions, and a very fluid talent pool, people are in and out of organizations faster than they used to be. That all adds to the dynamic nature of it, which makes it very challenging. It can feel like a moving target sometimes.

Whether there’s a formal succession planning process or not, roles are still getting filled, and that makes it easy for the process to get deprioritized. It requires a lot of information gathering, and it means getting busy leaders together to have real conversations. And it requires candor—which is something that can be difficult for people to prioritize.

If no one is clearly responsible for it, it can easily go by the wayside. There has to be someone dedicated to making it happen. It’s a big deal, and it requires a lot of effort. Sometimes it’s just really difficult to initially get your arms and your mind around it, so it gets put off.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH TOMMY CHAN

Can you share an example from your work where succession planning was done really well - or where it went off track? What made the difference?

Well, what goes well in most cases I’ve seen is when senior leaders [...] start that process early on—let’s say if they’re about to retire in five years—they need to start thinking ahead: who could be the one replacing them or be their successor? And those tend to fare very well.

The ones who don’t succeed are the ones who don’t plan. It has to be very intentional, even when there’s no perceived immediate reward. But this again is one of those things—you cannot kick it down the road. It’ll bite when it happens, and that often ends up in a bad situation

The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter

Transitions are a critical time for leaders. In fact, most agree that moving into a new role is the biggest challenge a manager will face. While transitions offer a chance to start fresh and make needed changes in an organization, they also place leaders in a position of acute vulnerability. Missteps made during the crucial first three months in a new role can jeopardize or even derail your success.

By walking you through every aspect of the transition scenario, Watkins identifies the most common pitfalls new leaders encounter and provides the tools and strategies you need to avoid them. You’ll learn how to secure critical early wins, an important first step in establishing yourself in your new role. Each chapter also includes checklists, practical tools, and self-assessments to help you assimilate key lessons and apply them to your own situation.

Who Comes Next? Leadership Succession Planning Made Easy

Leaders leave. It's inevitable. It might even happen today. Are you prepared?

Every organization needs a plan for leadership succession, but few leaders know how to start the process. WHO COMES NEXT? solves that problem and easily guides you through the steps of creating and implementing a viable succession plan.

This essential guidebook simplifies the process and gives you the tools you need to build and activate your leadership succession. You’ll find a comprehensive action plan, a library of all the tools needed to develop and sustain your plan, and a resource guide.