Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent From Within

by William J. Rothwell

Organizations that don't take steps to plan for future talent needs at all levels, will face certain disruptions, and even disasters, when key employees leave. Still the most comprehensive and authoritative book on the subject, this new edition of Effective Succession Planning presents strategies for creating a complete, systematic succession planning program. Updated and expanded to reflect the latest trends and best practices in succession management, the book contains 20 per cent new material, including chapters on recruitment and retention as part of succession planning, as well as updated references and research. The book also includes a CD-Rom filled with worksheets, assessment tools, and training guides...everything readers need to help lead their organizations into the future.

Genres: Historical Romance

448 pages, Hardcover

First published November 26, 1994

About the author

William J. Rothwell is professor of Workplace Learning and Performance at Pennsylvania State University and President of Rothwell & Associates, a business consultancy.

Reviews

[Todd Cheng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting.

It worthwhile read for the non HR manager looking to understand the practices and concern of success and management in a larger organization. It provided history, practice, and context on how investments in succession management can reduce risk and disruption To an organization.

[Eric Nelson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rothwell�s assertion, The continued survival of the organization depends on having the right employees in the right positions at the right time, is very much a truism. But the question is how do you respond to this truth? Rothwell�s succession planning assumes that God is not going to support your customers as your company�s ability to meet their needs are threatened by the loss of an employee. Perhaps that�s why it�s necessary. Companies no longer have God�s support as they serve customer�s urges rather than their needs. [return][return]Since God cannot be expected to rise up someone to ensure that your business�s frivolous outputs can continue uninterrupted, businesses are forced into an overly bureaucratic approach to ensuring continuity through retirements and unplanned departures.[return] [return]It�s like a family not only having life insurance policies but also having potential spouses picked out in case tragedy strikes a parent (or they decide to divorce). This never occurs in healthy families because of two factors which are not present in today�s businesses:[return]1. There is an assumed life-long dedication to the family unit where commitment rules regardless of how well the family unit is serving the person�s need. The family unit�s need trump personal fulfillment.[return]2. It is assumed that if the unexpected happens, God will provide. It�s not that families do (or shouldn�t) do anything to prepare for the worst, but undo expenditures of time are not only unjustified, they are inherently faithless�revealing that you don�t believe God would provide and sustain through tragedy.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice and content but long. After about 200 pages I started to jump ahead due to what seemed to me to be redundancy. Good checklists and audit procedures included to determine if you need a SP program or if your SP program is working.

[Jeff Lampson]

A must read for practitioners who are serious about continuously improving their individual skills for building succession management capability in organizations.