Bernadette BoasExecutive Leadership Coach, Trainer and Speaker, Ball of Fire Coaching · Become the Leader Everyone Wants to Follow and No One Can Overlook.

Succession Planning It's More Than Just a Name!

8 Apr 2026 · 2 min

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1:48

In this segment of her talk, Bernadette Boas dismantles two common misconceptions about succession planning. First, she argues that merely listing a name as a potential successor does not make that person ready; true successors are individuals who have received ongoing development, coaching, stretch assignments, board visibility, and sponsorship. Second, she reframes succession planning from a future‑only concern to an immediate operational priority, likening it to a fire that must be addressed today before it erupts into a crisis. She illustrates the risk of unprepared leaders by describing scenarios where senior leaders leave unexpectedly, leaving organizations scrambling to hire external executives because internal candidates were never truly developed. The core message is that organizations must proactively invest in talent development now, rather than relying on static lists, to ensure continuity and mitigate disruption.

Chapters

Myth number 2: We have successors. We have names on a list. Having a name on a list is not having a successor. I've worked with organizations where the succession plan was beautifully designed, color-coded, had all the information in regards to the names that they placed on that list. And then a senior leader leaves and they go straight to an executive search firm because the person on the list, the one that they deemed ready 18 months ago, They haven't received any support, any development, any executive coaching, any stretch assignments, any visibility to the board, no sponsorship. They're just a name in the box. They are not ready. A developed, prepared, and supported human being is a successor, not a name in the box. Keep that in mind. It's critical. All right. Myth number 3. Succession planning is about the future, and we have so many fires to put out right now. I definitely understand the operational pressures that many organizations are under right now. Believe me, I see it each and every day. But here's what I want you to sit with is succession planning is today's fire, and you just can't see the smoke yet. The moment a critical leader leaves and walks out the door unexpectedly or even planned, you will wish you had started that conversation, started that development, 18 months ago when you identified that name in the box. Think about the last time this may have happened. What was the impact? What was the post-result of having an opening and not preparing and readying that individual for that role? How does it impact everyone and everything around them?