A succession plan is important for any business. Small, family-owned businesses often lack a succession plan, and larger companies can sometimes fail to implement one effectively. Before you or one of your employees dies, you might want to make a succession plan and talk it over with everyone who needs to be involved. If you don’t know where to start, it can help to think about how you want your business to be passed on and to talk to a lawyer who can help you make a solid plan that is legal.
Succession planning is a critical process for ensuring the long-term health and continuity of any organization By identifying and developing future leaders, companies can smoothly transition when key employees retire or leave the organization Conducting thoughtful succession planning interviews is key to this process. In these interviews, current leaders can assess employees’ goals, development needs and promotion readiness.
When creating succession planning interview questions, there are some key things to keep in mind
Focus on Development and Potential
Succession planning interviews should have a forward-looking focus on development and potential Rather than reviewing past performance, the goal is gaining insight into an employee’s ability and motivation to take on new responsibilities in the future Ask open-ended questions that encourage employees to share their career aspirations, interests and strengths.
Align Individual and Organizational Goals
Understand whether an employee’s personal career goals align with potential leadership roles within the organization. Explore their longer-term vision for their career, and compare this to existing or projected needs within your company. This helps identify areas of overlap and compatibility.
Gauge Learning Agility
Learning agility or adaptability is a crucial indicator of leadership potential. Assess an employee’s ability to pick up new skills quickly, solve problems and take on unfamiliar roles. Ask about examples of when they have had to learn something completely new or adapt to a changing situation.
Assess Technical and Soft Skills
While technical or job-specific skills are important, don’t underestimate the value of soft skills in a leadership role. Use interview questions to evaluate critical soft skills like communication, collaboration, strategic thinking and relationship-building.
Get Specific About Development Plans
Vague notions about “developing leadership skills” aren’t enough. Have employees identify specific skills, experiences or training they need to prepare them for advancement. This gives clear direction on development activities to close readiness gaps.
Solicit Direct Feedback
Ask candidates directly about their motivations and perceived readiness for promotion. Questions like “What role do you see yourself having in this organization in three years?” provide valuable insight into an employee’s mindset.
Take Stock Regularly
Don’t conduct succession planning interviews just once a year. Check in with employees frequently to reevaluate goals, progress and next steps. Leadership readiness can change quickly.
Now let’s explore some examples of effective succession planning interview questions:
What are your career goals for the next 3-5 years? How do these goals align with opportunities at our company?
This open-ended question allows employees to share their aspirations and gives insight into their longer-term mindset. It also reveals areas where organizational needs overlap with personal interests.
What parts of your current role do you find most challenging? How could we support you in building skills in those areas?
By identifying current challenges, you can target areas for development. The employee can also share ideas on resources or training that would help them overcome those challenges.
If you were to take on a leadership role in the organization, what would be your biggest concerns? How could we help address those concerns?
Even ambitious employees may have some hesitations about moving into leadership. This question surfaces any potential anxieties so you can provide reassurance and support.
What leadership skills or qualities do you think are your strengths? In which areas do you feel you need to develop?
A successor needs a mix of existing leadership strengths and the ability to learn new competencies. This question has the employee self-assess their capabilities on both fronts.
What training or on-the-job activities would help prepare you for a leadership role in our company?
The employee’s perspective provides useful insight on development needs. Their suggestions also show proactive thinking about advancement.
How would you describe your preferred leadership or management style?
Learning about work style preferences helps assess the employee’s alignment with the company’s culture and leadership approach.
What do you enjoy most about your current role? What responsibilities do you hope to take on in the future?
This evaluates interests and areas where an employee may want to deepen their work activities. It also helps confirm that a leadership role would engage them.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in the past year? How did these prepare you for future challenges?
Recent examples of initiative, problem-solving and achievements provide evidence of readiness for greater responsibility.
What is one leadership skill you’d like to develop in the next 6 months? How will focusing on this benefit your career development?
Near-term development goals show commitment to continuous improvement. The discussion also defines next steps for your employee’s leadership journey.
How can I support you in preparing for advancement opportunities within our organization?
Asking directly how you can assist shows commitment to their growth. It also puts responsibility on the employee to communicate their needs.
Tips for Conducting Interviews
Here are some tips to help create an open and productive succession planning discussion:
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Hold the conversation in a private setting with no distractions. Give the employee your full attention.
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Have the employee complete a self-assessment beforehand to frame the discussion.
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Ask open-ended questions and follow up with probes for more detail and examples.
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Take notes so you can follow up on development plans.
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Keep the tone relaxed and conversational to encourage candor.
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Explore both strengths and areas for growth to provide balanced developmental feedback.
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Share your own perspectives but avoid dominating the conversation.
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Conclude by summarizing key points and next steps. Set a timeline for follow-up check-ins.
Developing Promotion Readiness
Succession planning interviews give you valuable input on development areas to address before the employee is ready for advancement. Here are some ways to support their continued progress:
On-the-Job Learning
- Have them shadow current leaders to gain exposure.
- Increase their decision-making authority in own role.
- Include them in high-level meetings and strategy discussions.
- Assign them special projects outside their normal responsibilities.
Training
- Enroll them in leadership training programs.
- Cover the cost for seminars or workshops in their development areas.
- Arrange mentor relationships with experienced leaders.
New Experiences
- Have them lead an important cross-functional team.
- Provide expat/overseas assignments to build global skills.
- Rotate them through different departments and roles.
- Assign them additional direct reports to increase their management scope.
Ongoing Discussions
- Set up regular check-ins to track progress on development goals.
- Solicit their input on designing development activities.
- Reviewpromotion criteria and qualifications with them.
- Provide informal coaching and mentoring.
By sustaining an open dialogue and providing developmental experiences, you can effectively transition promising employees into leadership roles down the road.
Succession Planning Enables a Bright Future
Investing time in thoughtful succession planning interviews and follow-up development will pay huge dividends for your organization’s success. You’ll be prepared with skilled leaders who can take the reins as current managers retire or pursue new opportunities. This smooth leadership transition results in consistency, stability and the ongoing achievement of business goals. It also shows employees that you are committed to nurturing talent and enabling career growth within your company.
What are the benefits of succession planning?
There are many benefits that come with creating a strong and effective succession plan. For employees, some benefits include:
- Knowing theres a chance for advancement
- Making an easy transition from one position to the next
- Remaining in the position could lead to ownership
These things can also help you as a business owner, but here are some other things to think about when planning how your company will be run after you leave:
- If you want someone to run your business after you die, you can be sure that they have the skills and legal backing to do so.
- You can make sure that your successor has access to all the information they need, such as important papers and your contact information.
- You can make sure that all management and leadership roles can be transferred without stopping your services or work.
Why is succession planning important?
According to a study by STEP Project for Family Enterprise, there are 5.5 million family-owned businesses in the United States, many of which have no succession plan in place. This can leave your company vulnerable if something were to happen to you or if you decide you no longer want to run the business. A corporation requires a good succession plan because all employees need to be well-versed in their roles for the operation to run smoothly. Without an effective succession plan in place, your company could suffer if you or any of your key employees leave.
Succession Planning For the HRBP Role
FAQ
What is the basic succession planning process?
