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Succession planning – or smart talent management?

Angela Hills (Senior vice president at BlessingWhite Inc., Skillman, New Jersey, USA)

Industrial and Commercial Training

ISSN: 0019-7858

Article publication date: 30 January 2009

17807

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify what succession planning actually is and the pro's and con's of buying in, or building talent in the organization. The paper is informed by BlessingWhite's 2008 global survey into employee engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of buying in and building talent to ensure the right people are in the right places at the right time within an organization. It describes five strategies for ensuring succession planning works.

Findings

The five key strategies are: aligning succession planning with business strategy, assessing leadership potential using the 3Cs, involve the talent in the planning, mixing development: experience/coaching/training, and casting a wider net for succession.

Research limitations/implications

The research quoted is the global BlessingWhite survey – The State of Engagement 2008.

Practical implications

The paper details changes to succession planning strategy.

Originality/value

This paper gives new research data and an approach to succession planning. It is of value to senior HR professionals and executive teams in companies concerned about effective succession planning and talent management.

Keywords

Citation

Hills, A. (2009), "Succession planning – or smart talent management?", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 41 No. 1, pp. 3-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850910927697

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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