Why Your Succession Plan Fails When It Matters Most

Picture This: The Moment of Truth

Imagine this: A senior executive announces their sudden departure, leaving a role that impacts nearly every corner of the business. The CEO flips open the succession file, scans the list of potential successors, and asks, “Who can step in next month?”

And then… silence.

This scenario is all too familiar for many organizations. The plan exists, names are listed, but when the moment of truth arrives, confidence evaporates. This isn’t a failure of the people involved; it’s a failure of approach.

Too often, organizations confuse having a plan with being prepared. Succession planning isn’t just a spreadsheet; it’s a system of readiness.

At Esendia, we’ve collaborated with organizations of all sizes and sectors to transform static succession plans into dynamic, developmental processes that genuinely build capability. Let’s dive into why these plans often fail and what truly makes them work when it matters most.

1. Why Succession Plans Break Down When It Counts

Succession planning is meant to ensure continuity and confidence during leadership changes. Yet, many organizations find themselves scrambling when key roles unexpectedly open up. According to Gartner, only 38% of HR leaders feel confident that their current succession management process will produce the right leaders for the future.

So, where does it go wrong?

1.1 Planning Once a Year Isn’t Enough

Succession planning is often treated as an annual exercise. Names are discussed, boxes are checked, and the plan is filed away. But leadership transitions don’t happen on a schedule. Markets shift, priorities change, and people move. By the time the next review rolls around, the plan and the people in it, may already be outdated.

To be effective, succession planning must be continuous.

1.2 It’s Owned by HR, Not the Business

When succession planning is primarily an HR responsibility, leaders may view it as a compliance task rather than a strategic imperative. But readiness can’t be delegated. The most successful organizations treat succession planning as a shared responsibility between HR and business leaders. HR provides the framework, while leaders offer the commitment, mentorship, and action that bring it to life.

1.3 Visibility Isn’t the Same as Readiness

Listing someone as a successor creates visibility, not capability. Without meaningful development, exposure, stretch assignments, coaching, or mentoring, successors remain hypothetical. Readiness isn’t built in documents; it’s cultivated through deliberate, developmental experiences.

1.4 Static Tools in a Shifting World

Traditional tools, like the 9-Box Grid, were designed for predictable environments. But today’s world is anything but predictable. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 indicates that 39% of workers’ core skills are expected to change by 2030. This means what made someone “ready” yesterday may no longer apply tomorrow.

Static frameworks can’t keep pace with dynamic talent needs. What’s needed is an agile, human-centered approach that reflects how people actually develop.

2. The 9-Box Grid: Why It’s Time to Move Beyond Labels

The 9-Box Grid is one of the most widely used tools in talent management, plotting individuals by performance and potential. It’s simple, visual, and familiar. But it’s also static and that’s where it fails.

Once people are categorized, the conversation often stops. “High potential, medium performer” becomes a label, not a launchpad. Managers are left without clear next steps, and employees can feel boxed in rather than built up. The grid gives you a snapshot, but not a strategy.

If categorization isn’t creating readiness, the answer isn’t to refine the labels; it’s to change the lens entirely.

3. The 4 Career Stages Model: From Categorisation to Progression

We designed the 4 Career Stages Model to make succession planning much simpler, dynamic, and inclusive. Instead of spending time debating which of nine boxes someone fits into, it uses four simple stages and reinvests that time in a far more useful question: what needs to happen next to move them forward?

This model helps organizations shift from merely naming successors to actively developing them, transforming talent discussions into actionable, forward-looking dialogues.

The Four Career Stages

1. Sustain – The Career Sweet Spot

Employees in this stage are thriving. They’re performing well, engaged, and aligned with their role. The goal isn’t to “fix” anything; it’s to sustain energy and prevent stagnation. Support them with recognition, light stretch goals, mentoring opportunities, or exposure to new experiences that maintain their momentum.

2. Support – Reignite Engagement

Employees in this stage may feel stuck or disconnected. The aim is to re-engage, not reprimand. Support them with coaching, clear development pathways, and conversations that explore career alignment. Sometimes, small changes in focus or environment can reignite motivation.

3. Stretch – Unlock Hidden Potential

These are high-performing employees ready for more. They’ve mastered their role and need new challenges to grow. Support them with cross-functional projects, peer learning, and opportunities to contribute beyond their current scope. Stretch roles fuel both learning and retention.

4. Shift – Ready for the Next Level

These are your succession-critical individuals, capable, ambitious, and aligned with future business needs. Support them with strategic exposure: shadowing senior leaders, acting assignments, or high-impact projects that test leadership readiness.

Why the Model Works?

This model drives action with clear “what next” steps, keeps development visible over time, strengthens two-way career dialogue, and applies to everyone not just senior talent. This turns succession lists into living talent pipelines.

But a model alone doesn’t create readiness, it only works when it’s embedded into everyday leadership practice.

Also Read: https://www.esendia.com/post/succession-planning-that-actually-works-avoid-the-9-box-grid

4. Bringing the Model to Life

Embedding the 4 Career Stages Model requires consistency and leadership commitment. Here’s how it becomes part of everyday work.

Step 1: Engage Leaders Early

When leaders understand and use the model, it becomes a shared language across the business. Leadership teams should align on what “readiness” really means, linked to strategy, not job titles.

Step 2: Coach Managers for Better Conversations

Managers are the bridge between intention and impact. Train them to hold two-way conversations where employees assess their own stage and development needs alongside their manager. This shared ownership builds trust and engagement.

Step 3: Build Development into Everyday Work

Real readiness comes from experience. Three practical habits matter most: quarterly successor exposure sessions, bi-annual stretch rotations, and real-time feedback loops using 360-degree feedback. This creates continuous development rather than episodic planning.

Step 4: Make Progress Visible

Review readiness monthly or quarterly, not annually. When progress is visible, readiness stops being theoretical, making it measurable.

5. Measuring What Matters

To know whether your succession plan is working, measure movement, not maintenance.

Key Metrics to Track

• Coverage for Critical Roles: At least two successors per role, each with a live development plan.

• Stage Movement Rate: Progression from Support → Sustain → Stretch → Shift.

• Internal Mobility Rate: LinkedIn reports employees who move internally are 70% more likely to stay for three years.

• Engagement with Development: Participation in stretch roles, mentoring, and development activity.

• Diversity of Successors: Representation within the Shift stage compared to the wider workforce.

  
  

These indicators show whether your system is building readiness—not just recording activity

Download our handbook: https://www.esendia.com/succession-planning-handbook

6. From Reactive to Ready: What Success Looks Like

Many organizations approach us saying, “We have a plan, but we’re still not ready.” What’s missing is the development that happens between review cycles. After implementing the 4 Career Stages Model, one international organization saw:

• 98% completion of career conversations

• Increased internal promotions

• Greater leadership confidence

  
  

Succession planning stopped being reactive and became proactive readiness. The people didn’t change; the system did.

7. Building a Culture of Continuous Readiness

True succession planning becomes part of the organizational culture. This culture looks like:

• Leaders modeling development: When leaders actively engage in their own development and that of their teams, it sets a powerful example.

• Continuous career conversations: Regular check-ins about career aspirations and development needs keep the dialogue open and productive.

• Shared access to stretch opportunities: Ensuring that all employees have access to challenging projects and roles fosters a sense of equity and motivation.

• Strong HR–business partnership: Collaboration between HR and business leaders ensures that succession planning aligns with organizational goals.

• Celebration of progression, not just promotion: Recognizing and celebrating developmental milestones encourages a growth mindset.

  
  

When these behaviors become routine, leadership transitions stop being moments of panic and become moments of pride. As the saying goes, “The best time to prepare a successor isn’t when someone leaves. It’s every day they’re still here.”

8. The Bottom Line: Hope Is Not a Plan

When leaders leave suddenly, organizations often realize their succession plans were about documentation, not development. A succession plan that works isn’t just a list; it’s a living process that makes people more ready each month than they were the month before.

The real question isn’t: “Who’s on your list?” It’s: “What have you done lately to make them ready?” If you can answer that confidently, your succession plan won’t fail when it matters most, it will deliver.

At Esendia

At Esendia, we help organizations transform succession planning from a static exercise into a continuous system of readiness. Through our 4 Career Stages Model, we help leaders:

• Build successor capability in real time

• Create inclusive, transparent development pathways

• Strengthen confidence across leadership transitions

👉 Book a conversation or download our Succession Planning Handbook to turn plans into progress.

In conclusion, the journey of effective succession planning is not just about having a list of names ready for the next big role. It’s about fostering a culture of continuous development, ensuring that every potential leader is not only identified but also actively prepared for the challenges ahead. By shifting from static tools and annual reviews to dynamic, ongoing conversations and development opportunities, organizations can ensure they are ready for whatever the future holds.

So, let’s not wait for the next leadership change to start thinking about succession. Let’s make it a part of our everyday conversations and practices. After all, the best leaders are those who are always preparing the next generation to take the helm.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is succession planning?

Succession planning is the process of identifying and developing people to step into critical roles when leaders move on, retire, or take on new responsibilities. Effective succession planning focuses not just on naming successors, but on building readiness through ongoing development, exposure, and experience.

2. Why do succession plans fail in practice?

Succession plans often fail because they are treated as static documents rather than living systems. Common issues include annual-only reviews, over-reliance on tools like the 9-box grid, limited development action, and lack of ownership from business leaders. When readiness isn’t actively built, confidence disappears at the moment of transition.

3. What is leadership readiness in succession planning?

Leadership readiness refers to how prepared someone is to step into a role with confidence and capability, not just potential. It includes skills, experience, judgement, exposure, and behavioural readiness. True readiness is built through stretch assignments, coaching, feedback, and real business challenges.

4. Is the 9-box grid still useful for succession planning?

The 9-box grid can be helpful as a high-level snapshot, but it often falls short in today’s fast-changing environment. It labels people without clearly showing what development is needed next. Many organisations now complement or replace it with more dynamic, development-focused approaches.

5. What is the 4 Career Stages Model?

The 4 Career Stages Model is Esendia’s approach to succession and career development. It focuses on progression rather than categorisation, grouping employees into four stages: Support, Sustain, Stretch, and Shift. Each stage clearly defines development priorities and “what next” actions to build readiness over time.

6. How does the 4 Career Stages Model improve succession planning?

The model shifts conversations from “who is high potential?” to “what does this person need to be ready?”. It helps managers have better career conversations, makes development visible, supports internal mobility, and turns succession plans into active talent pipelines rather than static lists.

7. How often should succession plans be reviewed?

Succession planning should be reviewed continuously, not once a year. Many organisations review readiness quarterly or alongside performance and development check-ins. Regular reviews ensure plans stay aligned with business needs, role changes, and individual development progress.