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Succession Planning
By RISE Business Framework · Created by Gary Harper and Brandon McCurdy · Reviewed
Succession planning is the process of preparing people to step into critical roles before those roles are vacated. In RISE, you score each critical role 1-3 on five criteria, such as urgent need and internal bench strength. Any position scoring above a total of 10 should be addressed immediately.
How RISE does it
- Identify the critical roles in your business.
- Score each one 1-3 on five criteria: 1 is not descriptive of the role, 3 is very descriptive.
- Add the five scores for a total out of 15.
- Positions scoring above a total of 10 should be addressed immediately.
Succession Planning is one of four tools in Talent Accountability, part of the Resources quadrant of the RISE Business Framework.
The RISE tool
Succession Planning scoring grid
Rate each criterion: 1 = Not Descriptive of the Role, 2 = Descriptive of the Role, 3 = Very Descriptive of the Role.
| Critical Role | Urgent Need | Low External Candidate Availability | Poor Internal Bench | Strong Impact on Business | Unique Skill Set or Knowledge | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ops. Manager | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 |
Positions scoring above a total of 10 should be addressed immediately. The Ops. Manager example scores 14.
“Critical roles are the keystones of your organization's success. Succession planning is the process that ensures they are never left unguarded.”Gary Harper
AI RISE Coach
Work through Succession Planning with the AI RISE Coach
“Walk me through Succession Planning in the RISE Business Framework and help me apply it to my business.”
Quick self-check
“We assign ownership for each process in the business to a single team member so accountability is clear.”
Frequently asked questions
How do you create a succession plan for a small business?
List your critical roles, then score each on urgent need, external candidate availability, internal bench, business impact and unique skills. RISE says any role scoring above 10 should be addressed immediately.
What is a critical role?
A critical role is a seat your business cannot afford to leave empty. The RISE grid flags roles with strong business impact, unique skills and a weak internal bench.
When should a business start succession planning?
Now, for any role scoring above 10 on the RISE grid. Those roles are already a risk to your business.
The other tools in Talent Accountability
- Organizational ChartDefine structure, roles and the chain of command so everyone knows who has authority over what.
- Process Ownership ChartA four-tier chart that names who innovates, leads, manages and owns each core process.
- Process CommitmentFour questions asked of each team member to confirm they are committed to their seat.
Related in another quadrant: Process Execution
