Leadership pipelines don’t emerge — they’re engineered.
In every global role I’ve held, I’ve visualised succession planning as making moves on a chessboard. You’re constantly thinking a few moves ahead, not just who can step in now, but who might be ready in the next phase of the game. And just like chess, the organisations that win are the ones that plan early, develop intentionally, and aren’t afraid to make bold moves when the moment calls for it.

The reality is that succession planning can’t just be about “ready now” replacements. When you look at your talent pool holistically, you start to see the importance of having both immediate successors and those who could step into a role in a 2–3-year horizon. That broader view often reveals future potential that traditional processes miss. It requires you to map the capabilities needed for the future, not just today.

But identifying successors is only the first step. The real work lies in understanding what development or experience gaps need to be closed for those longer‑term options — and then actually creating the opportunities that accelerate their readiness. Too many organisations name successors but never build the runway.

This is also where diversity in the pipeline becomes a genuine differentiator. When organisations only react at the point of hiring, they limit themselves to whoever is available in the market at that moment — and then act surprised when the most senior levels don’t reflect the diversity they aspire to. Building diverse succession options early gives you choice, depth, and a stronger long‑term leadership bench. It’s proactive, not apologetic.

And sometimes, the most strategic decision is the uncomfortable one. There are moments when, instead of waiting for a leader to move on, you make an earlier transition to secure your succession plan. It feels disruptive — but the alternative is risking that your future options disappear.

Succession planning will always need to flex. Leaders resign unexpectedly, roles shift, priorities change, that’s the reality. But this is precisely why strong succession planning matters. When you’ve built a pipeline with genuine depth — incorporating ready‑now, interim, and longer‑term options — you can transparently see the risks and gaps and plan for them.

Succession planning isn’t a list. It’s a strategy — a forward‑looking, inclusive, and intentional approach that strengthens your leadership bench long before you need it. Done well , it focuses not on the next vacancy, but on deliberately shaping the leaders your organisation will rely on to succeed in the future. “In the end, succession planning is the discipline of seeing the whole chessboard — and shaping the future moves your organisation will one day be glad you made.”