Project Snapshot:
Succession Planning and Executive Development System
Situation
A large, fast-growing national retailer found that its growth was constrained by a lack of management depth. There was no predictable way to identify and develop leadership talent, and the company was forced to fill many leadership positions through external recruitment, often with unsatisfactory results.
Solution
Based on numerous executive interviews designed to create a common understanding of the company's leadership requirements, Beeson Consulting designed a multi-faceted, organization-wide succession planning and talent development system. This included a.) a process for annual organizational/talent reviews in groups across the company and b.) tools to assist in identifying future leaders and creating highly individualized development plans to accelerate their development. Talent Councils of senior leaders from three core areas of the company were formed to guide job placement and development for high potential future leaders. More than 200 line executives and Human Resource support staff were trained in the process and tools as part of the implementation plan.
Impact
As a result of this process, managers across the company engage in annual succession planning and talent development reviews, and the percent of internal promotions to leadership positions has increased dramatically. Line managers across the company also possess enhanced skills in talent identification and development.
