Succession Planning Through Training

𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬! 💡 Adopting a robust skills strategy is a game-changer for modern organizations. 📈 Today’s employers have a deeper insight into their teams’ capabilities than ever before—almost 70% have pinpointed the critical skills necessary for success in their departments. 👉 Ultimately, overcoming today’s skills shortages and ensuring a future-ready, employable workforce depends on embedding skills-based practices into every facet of talent management, according to a new interesting research published by Mercer US using data📊 from more than 1,100 talent, rewards and HR team leaders from 74 countries. 🔥 Organizations employ multiple approaches to map skills to individuals, including: ➡️ Basing practices on current job roles ➡️ Relying on managers to identify skills ➡️ Allowing employees to self-report their skills 📍 Finally, researchers unveiled a four-step roadmap for creating a skills-powered organization: ✔️ Define: Create the vision and link it to your business and people strategy. Define the unique “why” for your organization. ✔️ Engage: Engage the business and leaders to ensure agreement and support for the value, project scope and investment. ✔️ Build: Shape the roadmap to make sure your company uses the value of your hard work and dollar investment by making it “sticky.” ✔️ Activate: Test your initial plan in a pilot or proof of concept to learn and adjust before launching to the entire organization. ☝️ 𝙈𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬: I really enjoyed diving into this fascinating research on skills. While many organizations still have a long way to go in fully transitioning into true skills-based entities, the findings highlight significant progress in understanding the wealth of skills within their workforce. It’s clear that this journey is not only lengthy but also requires cross-functional collaboration across the entire organization. Embedding skills-based practices into every aspect of talent management is essential, and the four recommendations provided by the researchers are incredibly insightful and actionable. Thank you 🙏 Mercer researchers team for these insightful findings: Brian Fisher Melba Gant Katie Jenkins 📚Heather Ryan Peter Stevenson ✍ Why is mapping skills to job roles a critical step in future-proofing the workforce? #skills #skillsbasedorganization #talent #career ———————————— ♻️ Share to empower HR professionals and elevate excellence in 2025! 💡 Follow Nicolas BEHBAHANI for more insights on HR, People Analytics & the future of work!

The first thing that hit me when I joined this mid-sized engineering company as a CHRO was the lack of structured #SuccessionPlanning. At an organizational growth rate as steep as it was, the importance of a robust #SuccessionStrategy to keep our growth momentum on track and ensure continuity in leadership was very clear. To this end, I initiated my work with a critical review of our current leadership structure, #TalentPools, and future organizational requirements. I met senior leaders and key #stakeholders to identify critical roles for which #SuccessionPlans should be developed. This review identified several gaps and potential risks. Some of the huge barriers were #ResistanceToChange. To many senior leaders, succession planning was an unnecessary complication rather than a strategic necessity. Secondly, our #TalentManagementSystem lacked the necessary analytics to effectively predict and plan for the #leadership needs of the future. The next challenge in the process was to make the process inclusive and unbiased. We did not only need a system that would identify the #FutureLeaders, but one that would also be fair and transparent in the development of their capacity. Knowing these challenges, we established a comprehensive #SuccessionPlanningFramework that includes both quantitative and qualitative tools. #TalentAssessmentTools: We used #PsychometricAssessments, performance reviews, and 360-degree feedback to assess the current leader in finding a successor. Tools like #HoganAssessments and #GallupStrengthsFinder helped us truly understand individual capabilities and suitability for future roles. #LeadershipDevelopmentPrograms: Based on assessment results, customized development programs for potential successors have been designed. This includes #mentorship, #coaching, and focused training sessions to get over the shortcomings in competencies and groom them for the leadership role. #SuccessionPlanningSoftware: We implemented succession planning software in the HR system— #SAPSuccessFactors and #CornerstoneOnDemand. These tools enabled us to track potential successors, review development progress, and evaluate succession readiness. It runs scenario planning and #SuccessionModeling to simulate organizational changes and what would be affected in such scenarios. Our succession planning strategy, therefore, bore its first benefit: a strong #LeadershipPipeline ready for the challenges ahead and improved employee engagement through clear career pathways. It also enhanced the organizational agility required for smoother transitions. Our organization is more resilient, with a strategic approach toward developing leaders that places us in good stead for the future. #CHRODiaries #SuccessionPlanning #LeadershipPipeline #HighPotentialEmployees #PerformanceAssessment #360DegreeFeedback #ChangeManagement #CareerProgression #EmployeeEngagement #StakeholderBuyIn #OrganizationalGrowth

📣 The AI Literacy Competencies for L&D Professionals are here. If you've been following my work on the AI Literacy Framework, you know I've been working through the competencies carefully. They are finally ready to share! Here's what changed and why: ⚪ Four levels instead of three. The progression now includes Newcomer, Explorer, Integrator, and Pioneer. I added Newcomer because too many people are encountering AI without any prior frame of reference — and a framework that starts at Explorer was leaving them behind before they even began. ⚪ Fewer competencies. I intentionally reduced the number to zero in on what's concrete and actionable — what we can actually work toward. The result: 2 competencies per level, across 8 domains, for a total of 64. ⚪ L&D-specific throughout. Every competency is written for people who design, deliver, and evaluate learning for a living — not for a general audience, not for classroom educators. I have sharpened the focus on the language, the context, and the expectations to reflect our work specifically. ⚪ New domains, new competencies. The updated framework domains — including Working with AI, AI Governance and Policy, and Critical Thinking and Sense-Making — are fully reflected here with competencies written from the ground up for each. ⚪ The bigger shift is this: earlier versions of the competencies were oriented toward awareness and understanding. This version is oriented toward action. The goal is operationalized AI literacy — not just knowing what AI is, but knowing how to design with it, evaluate it, question it, and embed it into the work we do. The competencies are available as a free download at my website — link in the comments. The updated AI Literacy Framework is there too if you missed it. I'd love to hear what resonates, what's missing, and how you're using it in your own practice. Shout out to Inge de Waard, PhD, Stephanie L. Moore, Ph.D., Corinne Bosse, Don McIntosh, Peggy Parskey, Matthew Richter, Clark Quinn, Rebecca Rutschmann, Eva Sonnenschein, Dr. Sharon M. McIntyre, Dr Anke Julia Sanders, PhD, Tim Chan, MBA, CPA, CIA, and Jeff Dalto, MS for the ongoing conversations and support on this work! #AILiteracy #LearningAndDevelopment #LnD #AIinLearning #InstructionalDesign #ProfessionalDevelopment

Leading Strategy and Succession — at the Same Time As a Board Chair, NED, and strategy consultant to People Businesses, I’m increasingly asked to steward strategy development and leadership transitions simultaneously. This dual agenda is now the norm in professional services and partnership-led firms. When done right, it’s not just a moment of transition—but a real opportunity for transformation. Here are a few pearls of wisdom I’ve gathered: 🔹 1. Clarify the Strategic Mandate Without a compelling “why,” people won’t follow. Anchor both strategy and succession in real business needs—client shifts, growth ambitions, generational change. Treat them as two sides of the same coin. 🔹 2. Stabilise and Align the Leadership Transitions breed uncertainty. Be clear on transition timelines, interim roles and decision rights. Stability and alignment are critical early steps. 🔹 3. Co-Create the Strategy In professional services, strategy can’t be imposed. Involve partners, future leaders—and yes clients! The process should build momentum and insight. And bring the outside in. 🔹 4. Sequence Succession Thoughtfully Be deliberate with timing - Stagger leadership exits and entries. Match timing to key stages of strategic planning. Continuity and renewal both matter. 🔹 5. Empower Strategic Champions Strategy needs to keep moving. Identify trusted leaders across the business to drive specific workstreams—they’ll become your accelerators. 🔹 6. Communicate with Honesty and Consistency Silence breeds anxiety. Share regular updates, honour contributions, and introduce new leaders with intent and clarity. 🔹 7. Anchor in Culture and Values Transitions and strategy shifts touch the soul of a firm. Stay true to your values—and be intentional about how they (and mindsets and behaviours) need to evolve with your strategy. 🔹 8. Create Early Wins Demonstrate the new direction through quick, tangible outcomes. They build belief, credibility and momentum. 🔹 9. Invest in Future Leaders Use this moment to stretch and elevate the next tier. Give them real roles in strategy and change—they are your future stewards. 🔹 10. Manage Energy and Focus This work is intellectually and emotionally demanding. Be conscious of where you put your energy. Support your teams to stay resilient and focused. Leading strategy and succession at the same time isn’t easy—but it can be transformative. When approached with clarity, inclusion, and courage, it creates lasting impact. What have you found helps steer through these moments? #Leadership #Strategy #ProfessionalServices #SuccessionPlanning #PeopleBusiness #BoardLeadership #FutureOfWork

America’s talent shortage is one of our most urgent national security challenges. A new report from JPMorganChase’s PolicyCenter points to a sobering reality: the U.S. simply does not have enough skilled workers to build, compete, or protect its economic and strategic interests. Critical sectors are feeling the strain. 75% employers report difficulty finding qualified talent, 40% of adults lack basic digital skills, and manufacturing alone may need 3.8 million workers by 2033 with nearly half of those jobs projected to go unfilled. Technology roles are expected to grow at twice the rate of the rest of the labor market, and energy apprenticeships must expand significantly to meet future demand. JPMorganChase’s Security and Resiliency Initiative is investing $1.5 trillion dollars to strengthen strategic industries. But the report is clear: capital cannot deliver results without a strong talent pipeline. Workforce must be treated as core infrastructure. The report highlights several polices to strengthen the talent pipelne: ✅ Scale high quality apprenticeships to expand pathways into advanced manufacturing, energy, AI, and cybersecurity. ✅ Increase employer based training through reforms to WIOA that allow more investment in upskilling and on the job training. ✅ Strengthen industry and sector partnerships that align employers, education providers, and community organizations around shared workforce needs. ✅ Expand public private partnerships so education and training programs stay closely connected to in demand careers. ✅ Accelerate digital skill development by updating federal definitions of basic skills and expanding access to digital literacy programs. ✅ Implement Workforce Pell effectively by aligning federal regulations with state workforce systems, supporting classroom instruction connected to apprenticeships, and ensuring states use data to approve only high quality short term training programs aligned to critical industries. Last week's release of the National Security Strategy and the Administration’s AI Action Plan both make clear that America’s strategic advantage will hinge on our ability to innovate, deploy, and secure critical technologies like AI and quantum computing. But none of these ambitions can be realized without a workforce equipped with the skills to build, operate, and secure these technologies. Closing the talent gap isn’t just an economic imperative; it is foundational to sustaining our technological edge, economic resilience, and national security https://lnkd.in/gsa45XxV

𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, who steps in without chaos? Not a hopeful guess or an emergency promotion. A ready successor! This question alone tells you whether you have succession planning or just optimism. Most organizations think succession planning is about replacing people. It is actually about protecting continuity, culture, and credibility. Here’s a simple but powerful funnel you can use. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 Start at the top. • What are our 3 to 5 long term business goals? • What capabilities will we need in the next 5 years, not just today? • Are we building leaders for the future market or the past structure? No clarity here means everything below collapses. 2️⃣ 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 Audit Now get practical. List key positions that, if vacant for 60 days, would hurt revenue, culture, or reputation. If: • Time to fill is high • High performers are leaving faster than average employees • Managers say, we do not have promotion ready candidates You do not have a pipeline. You have exposure. 3️⃣ 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 Matrix Divide your team into four quadrants: • High Performance + High Potential • High Performance + Low Potential • Low Performance + High Potential • Low Performance + Low Potential Then ask: Who is ready now? Who can be ready in 12 months? Who needs structured development? This reduces emotional decisions and increases objectivity. 4️⃣ 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 Succession fails when skills grow but values do not. Revisit: • Purpose statement • Strategy alignment • Behavioral standards • Organizational character Future leaders must embody the culture, not just manage KPIs. 5️⃣ 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐓 Integration Your succession plan must reflect: Strengths Customer loyalty, R and D, employee loyalty Weaknesses High turnover, poor systems, low quality output Opportunities Technology, growing markets, demographic shifts Threats Price wars, new competitors, disruptive innovation If your successors are not trained to handle tomorrow’s threats, your planning is cosmetic. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 • Decreased turnover because employees see growth • Higher satisfaction and commitment • Lower hiring risk • Stronger employer brand • Faster internal mobility Succession planning is not a document. It is a living talent system. If your high potential employees feel undervalued or see outsiders promoted over them repeatedly, you are not planning succession. You are planning exits! The organizations that win long term are not the ones with the best strategies on paper. They are the ones with leadership depth. So ask yourself today. If three key people leave this quarter, does your business slow down or stay steady? That 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 your 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 as a 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫. #SumanAgarwal #ICBI #ICBICorporateSolutions

It’s a sobering picture for today’s manufacturing COOs...... Unfilled orders have surged to record levels..... job openings are declining...... and productivity remains stalled. All the while there's a real crisis unfolding as experience departs. ⚠️ 84 % of manufacturers say the loss of experienced personnel is hurting quality, efficiency, and productivity. Even worse - serious injuries and fatalities are soaring - hitting numbers we haven't seen in 20 years. Inflationary pressures and supply disruptions are squeezing margins, but the widening skills gap may be your biggest risk. 📈 As experienced workers retire or leave, your knowledge walks out the door. 📉 New, less experienced personnel struggle to keep pace, leading to increased safety incidents, stalled productivity, and missed orders. What can you do? ➡️ Capture critical expertise now— digitize work instructions, SOPs, and capture best practices at the corporate level with tools that make them all accessible at the point of work. ➡️ Upskill and reskill your frontline workforce rapidly with interactive training and AI‑driven guidance. ➡️ Empower your teams with real‑time data, collaboration tools, and decision support to improve safety and prevent errors. Finally, true productivity pathfinders look beyond the factory walls. They orchestrate supply networks to flexibly deliver a product portfolio that uniquely creates value for their customers. They invest in their people not just as labor but as the stewards of quality and innovation. LNS Research helps executives benchmark against peers, provides the latest insights to closing the skills gap, and develops a strategy that goes beyond resilient to sustainable. To Scale Connected Frontline Workforce Applications for continuous learning and decision intelligence, adopt Virtual Operations Center approach to break down silos, and embed an operating model so that local improvements cascade through the entire value chain to enhance safety, quality, competency, and productivity at all levels of the organization. 🔔 Follow Matthew Littlefield, Niels Erik Andersen, James Wells, Vivek Murugesan, and Michael Carroll for the latest to help you protect quality, productivity, and, most importantly, your people. #CFW #Manufacturing #Transformation #TheGreatGoodbye