A succession plan is a process of identifying and preparing potential candidates to take over key roles in an organization when the current incumbents leave or retire. A succession plan is an important governance action to prepare for the possibility of losing a large portion of the organization's key IT staff, as it can help to ensure the continuity and stability of the IT function and its alignment with the business objectives and strategies. A succession plan can also help to mitigate the risks and challenges associated with talent shortages, knowledge gaps, and leadership transitions. A succession plan should be developed in collaboration with the human resources (HR) department, the IT senior management, and the board of directors, and should include the following steps:
Identify the critical IT roles and their competencies, responsibilities, and performance expectations Assess the current IT staff and their readiness, potential, and interest to assume higher-level or more complex roles Conduct a gap analysis to determine the difference between the current and future skills and capabilities needed for the IT function Develop a talent pipeline and a talent pool of internal and external candidates who can fill the critical IT roles Provide learning and development opportunities for the identified candidates, such as training, coaching, mentoring, job rotation, or shadowing Monitor and evaluate the progress and performance of the candidates and provide feedback and support Review and update the succession plan periodically to reflect any changes in the business or IT environment References: Succession planning: a guide to get it right - Workable1, Succession Planning: Template, Process, Best Practices [2023] - Valamis2, Succession Planning: Best Practices - GitHub Pages3