You can also access this resource, and many others, in Issue 364 of my Talent Edge Weekly newsletter.
Last week, I made a post about a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology that followed leadership transitions across 113 U.S. elementary schools. One finding caught my attention: hands-on coaching improved employee engagement and performance when employees believed change was needed, but produced declines when they did not. While the setting was education, I believe the broader implication extends well beyond it: certain leadership skills and behaviors can disproportionately influence success depending on the situation a leader is stepping into. This is especially relevant to succession planning. Successor assessment typically starts with a success profile, the skills and experiences required to perform a given role, and that remains important. But the scenario a successor is likely to step into can significantly influence who is best suited for the role, and that scenario can shift over time. This is why it helps to factor in the scenario as an additional layer in selection and development discussions, not just the general success profile. Building on that idea, I created a one-page resource covering 8 scenarios, such as turnaround, rapid growth, culture change, and major transformation. Some scenarios can look similar on the surface, but the distinctions can matter for how a successor is prepared. The scenarios are also not mutually exclusive, meaning a successor could be stepping into a situation that reflects more than one scenario at the same time, so use judgment to determine which scenario, or combination, is most relevant.
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