{"id":4763,"date":"2015-05-28T07:50:09","date_gmt":"2015-05-28T12:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/?p=4763"},"modified":"2026-04-01T00:20:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T05:20:21","slug":"who-is-your-successor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/who-is-your-successor\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Your Successor?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4763\" class=\"elementor elementor-4763\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-082fa23 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"082fa23\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a91f072\" data-id=\"a91f072\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fddb1d elementor-widget elementor-widget-template\" data-id=\"4fddb1d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"template.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-template\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"12411\" class=\"elementor elementor-12411\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1255d61 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1255d61\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6264de3\" data-id=\"6264de3\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61125fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"61125fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Who is Your Successor?<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c1117e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"2c1117e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-fcfa45b elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/author\/lbwebmaster\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-user-circle\" viewBox=\"0 0 496 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 104c-53 0-96 43-96 96s43 96 96 96 96-43 96-96-43-96-96-96zm0 144c-26.5 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href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/2015\/05\/28\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-calendar\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M12 192h424c6.6 0 12 5.4 12 12v260c0 26.5-21.5 48-48 48H48c-26.5 0-48-21.5-48-48V204c0-6.6 5.4-12 12-12zm436-44v-36c0-26.5-21.5-48-48-48h-48V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H160V12c0-6.6-5.4-12-12-12h-40c-6.6 0-12 5.4-12 12v52H48C21.5 64 0 85.5 0 112v36c0 6.6 5.4 12 12 12h424c6.6 0 12-5.4 12-12z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>May 28, 2015<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-9c8288a elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"commentCount\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/who-is-your-successor\/#comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-comment-dots\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M144 208c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32s14.3 32 32 32 32-14.3 32-32-14.3-32-32-32zm112 0c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32s14.3 32 32 32 32-14.3 32-32-14.3-32-32-32zm112 0c-17.7 0-32 14.3-32 32s14.3 32 32 32 32-14.3 32-32-14.3-32-32-32zM256 32C114.6 32 0 125.1 0 240c0 47.6 19.9 91.2 52.9 126.3C38 405.7 7 439.1 6.5 439.5c-6.6 7-8.4 17.2-4.6 26S14.4 480 24 480c61.5 0 110-25.7 139.1-46.3C192 442.8 223.2 448 256 448c141.4 0 256-93.1 256-208S397.4 32 256 32zm0 368c-26.7 0-53.1-4.1-78.4-12.1l-22.7-7.2-19.5 13.8c-14.3 10.1-33.9 21.4-57.5 29 7.3-12.1 14.4-25.7 19.9-40.2l10.6-28.1-20.6-21.8C69.7 314.1 48 282.2 48 240c0-88.2 93.3-160 208-160s208 71.8 208 160-93.3 160-208 160z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOne Comment\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a17d19d elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"a17d19d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"text-align:center;\u201d>\r\n<span class=\"bsf-rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"bsf-rt-display-label\" prefix=\"Reading Time\">\n\t\t<\/span> <span class=\"bsf-rt-display-time\" reading_time=\"2\"><\/span> \n\t\t<span class=\"bsf-rt-display-postfix\" postfix=\"mins\"><\/span><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-70a0327\" data-id=\"70a0327\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-228f411 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"228f411\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/Relaxed_Leader-rlcs9ts3ytr8dqks14bcy1os6l3iudotf5hukzqrcw.png\" title=\"Relaxed_Leader\" alt=\"Relaxed Leader\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-36316d44 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"36316d44\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a1f1b98\" data-id=\"a1f1b98\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7606bb08 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7606bb08\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Successor Development: Whose Job is it?<\/h3><p>All too many leaders struggle with proper prioritization of\u00a0their own management\u00a0succession. Have you ever had these thoughts about job succession?<\/p><blockquote><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>&#8220;Who has time to think about grooming a successor? \u00a0I&#8217;ve got work\u00a0to do!&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><p>If so, you&#8217;re not alone. \u00a0You&#8217;re in good company.\u00a0Or are you really in\u00a0<em>bad company<\/em>? Procrastination with succession is a common, yet costly state-of-mind. What&#8217;s behind it?<\/p><h3>Job Proficiency: \u00a0Be Careful What You Wish For<\/h3><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-17574 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/Relaxed_Leader-300x168.png\" alt=\"Relaxed Leader\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/Relaxed_Leader-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/Relaxed_Leader-1024x572.png 1024w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/Relaxed_Leader-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/Relaxed_Leader-768x429.png 768w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/Relaxed_Leader.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>You&#8217;ve been doing your job for a while now. \u00a0You&#8217;ve experienced a wide assortment of challenges and problems. \u00a0And you learned to navigate and solve them. \u00a0In some cases you learned by\u00a0<em>trial and error<\/em>. \u00a0Other times your instincts helped you figure things out. Maybe your boss or mentor supported you. \u00a0More than likely you&#8217;ve built up your political capital to the point that others will help you make things happen when you need external or cross functional backing.\u00a0\u00a0The result is you&#8217;re now <em>highly proficient<\/em>. Perhaps you&#8217;re so proficient that you&#8217;re <strong>indispensable<\/strong>. \u00a0 If you were taken out of the mix, the place would fall apart. \u00a0They can&#8217;t afford to lose you. \u00a0You&#8217;ve earned a sense of security. \u00a0That feels good! \u00a0You&#8217;re really comfortable with your routine. \u00a0Another good feeling.<\/p><h3>What Else Have You Earned?<\/h3><p><strong>Indispensability<\/strong> has a price. \u00a0Unless you&#8217;ve developed a\u00a0successor,\u00a0you&#8217;ve made it difficult for your organization to find a higher, more challenging place for you. <strong>Indispensability<\/strong>\u00a0is a barrier to promotion.<\/p><p>Is it possible that you&#8217;ve been so busy doing a good job that you&#8217;ve neglected one important job function?\u00a0While this responsibility\u00a0may be missing from your formal job description,\u00a0developing your successor is part of <strong><em>your<\/em> <\/strong>job. \u00a0This is true for all levels of the Org Chart.<\/p><h3>Time For Successor Development?<\/h3><p>If you&#8217;ve fallen into the trap of\u00a0<em>Indispensability<\/em> and <em>comfortable competency,<\/em> you can still get started. \u00a0If you&#8217;re ready, here are some questions for you to ask and answer. \u00a0Your answers will keep you &#8220;on task&#8221;.<\/p><h3>What&#8217;s the Business Case for Successor Development?<\/h3><p>If you were hit by a truck, disabled and suddenly taken out of action, what would that cost your organization in terms of management inefficiencies, financial impact, customer relations (internal and external), lack of growth and innovation?<\/p><p>Personally: How much does a stalled promotion effect your finances, family and lifestyle both now and in the future?<\/p><p>Any more questions about timing for developing your successor?<\/p><h3>Getting Started with Successor Development<\/h3><p>Once you&#8217;re ready, you have two simply stated tasks:<\/p><ol><li>Find one or more Candidates who could succeed you.<\/li><li>Groom Candidates to prepare them to take on your responsibilities<\/li><\/ol><h3>What&#8217;s Your Succession Goal?<\/h3><p>Your succession goal should be specific, written to address the two simple steps (above) and have a target date.<\/p><ul><li>Who qualifies to learn your job?<\/li><li>What are the qualifications? \u00a0What knowledge and skills are needed?<\/li><li>Since you need to get them <strong><em>ready<\/em><\/strong>, what does &#8220;ready&#8221; really mean?<\/li><li>Will you actually delegate responsibilities? \u00a0Or simply assign tasks? \u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/delegation-and-the-power-of-why\/\">&gt;&gt; more &gt;&gt;<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><h3>Will They Ever be Ready?<\/h3><p>If you&#8217;re somewhat of a perfectionist\u00a0who wants to have your successor prepared for every possible\u00a0problem, consider letting go of that need. \u00a0Just as when you were learning your job, sometimes you learned from your mistakes and temporary failures and simply figured things out. \u00a0Your successor can too. \u00a0But only if you provide an opportunity for <em>experiential learning<\/em>.<\/p><h3>Related<\/h3><ul><li><a href=\"http:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/services\/fast-track-leadership-coaching\/\">Fast Track Leadership Coaching<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/category\/delegation-skills\/\">Delegation Posts<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Successor Development: Whose Job is it?  All too many leaders struggle with proper prioritization of their own management succession. Have you ever had these thoughts about job succession?  &#8220;Who has time to think about grooming a successor?  I&#8217;ve got work to do!&#8221;<br \/>\nIf so, you&#8217;re not alone.  You&#8217;re in good company. Or are you really in bad company?  Procrastination with succession is a common, yet costly state-of-mind. What&#8217;s behind it?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Who is Your Successor?  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