UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies, School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Module: Assessment and Evaluation of Business and Industry Training EDU5046

Assignment 2: Presentation

Topic: The role of assessment in succession planning

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Science in Workforce

Training and Education

Submitted: November 10, 2023

 Succession planning has been defined as the proactive strategy involving the purposeful
identification, assessment, and development of individuals through the processes of educating
and mentoring for future leadership positions and establishing leadership continuity within an
institution. Succession planning should incorporate the identification, recruitment, retention,
development, coaching and mentoring of potential leaders. Communication, cooperation and
coordination between academia and practice that complements the preparation of new leaders is
essential. Succession planning is accomplished by personal involvement which motivates the
employees and ensures that the other management team members commit time and effort to
prepare.
Organizations often fail to utilize managerial personnel effectively for leadership
development and succession planning systems, and many execute these critical practices through
separate human resource functions that shift the responsibility for leadership development away
from line managers. The purpose of this article is to present a best practices model for optimal
development of the leadership pipeline and a series of practical recommendations for
organizations. A group of 30 CEOs and human resource executives across 15 best practice
organizations were asked via semi‐structured interviews to describe the content and delivery of
their respective organizations' leadership development and succession planning practices.
Findings Analysis of interview data indicated that best practice organizations effectively
integrate leadership development and succession planning systems by fully utilizing managerial
personnel in developing the organization's mentor network, identifying and codifying high
potential employees, developing high potentials via project‐based learning experiences and
manager‐facilitated workshops, establishing a flexible and fluid succession planning process,
creating organization‐wide forums for exposing high potential employees to multiple
stakeholders, and establishing a supportive organizational culture. The interview data are drawn
from a relatively small number of executives and from a single industry, which may limit the
overall utility of the findings. This study offers needed empirical support for the value of
integrating leadership development and succession planning practices through utilization of
managerial personnel. Management development practitioners will benefit from assessing their
respective organizations' current practices vis‐à‐vis those discussed here, while scholars may
utilize the best practices model for generating further research on the role of managerial
personnel in talent management systems.
The prevalence of formalized succession planning practices in organizations appears to
be increasing, largely due to changing demographic and related trends. However, many
organization leaders report low levels of confidence in their succession planning systems and
processes. Best succession and talent management practices can help organizations achieve
significant benefits, including improved financial performance. A practical, four step approach to
succession planning is proposed that incorporates both best practices and an innovative
application of role theory. The approach should help organizations look to and prepare for the
future more effectively, including better specifying the future requirements they will have for
their leaders. Implications for human resource development (HRD) professionals and
recommendations for further research are discussed. Succession planning systems are intended to
help organizations manage their talent pipeline. The goal is to ensure that the quantity and

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quality of executive leaders the organization needs are identified, fully capable, and ready to
contribute to the effective performance of a business over time. In a recent review, succession
planning was defined as "a structured process involving the identification and preparation of a
potential successor to assume a new role," implying the need for a reliable, repeatable process
(Garman & Glawe, 2004, p. 120). The term is often used interchangeably with an array of other
terms including talent management, human capital management, workforce planning, and
performance management. Generally, however, succession planning refers to special efforts to
invest in the best, highest performing, or highest potential talent at any organizational level or
function, but particularly at or near the top
In conclusion, assessment plays a vital role in succession planning by identifying and
developing potential leaders, evaluating their skills and competencies, and ensuring a smooth
transition of leadership positions. It helps organizations in identifying high-potential employees,
providing them with necessary training and development opportunities, and ensuring leadership
continuity within the institution. By incorporating best practices and utilizing managerial
personnel, organizations can effectively integrate leadership development and succession
planning systems. Deliberate evaluation and dissemination of desired outcomes are essential for
effective and transparent succession planning. Current leaders also play a crucial role in the
implementation of succession planning by assisting in the development of future leaders and in
the recruitment, assessment, and implementation of succession planning.

The succession planning process

Effective and transparent succession planning requires deliberate evaluation and
dissemination of desired outcomes (Titzer & Shirey, 2013). Organizations should adopt a four-
step approach to succession planning that incorporates best practices and an innovative
application of role theory (Barnett & Davis, 2008). Succession planning involves the purposeful
identification, assessment, and development of individuals through education and mentoring for
future leadership positions, ensuring leadership continuity within an institution (Phillips, 2020).
1. Identify critical roles and tasks - To create a solid base for your succession plan, start by
analysing corporate business plans to identify the positions and skills most critical for
business growth. Then, establish the key competencies required to undertake these roles and
the high potential employees that could step up and assume these positions.

2. Identify potential successors - Proactively identify and develop high potential employees so
you have people with the right skills and experience to assume key leadership roles when
they become available. As an employer, this will enable you to respond to change more
effectively and ensure leadership continuity. It’s also an effective process for recognising,
developing and retaining proven or high potential leadership talent.

3. Facilitate learning and development opportunities - Determine the training, development or

recruitment strategies required to fill skill gaps. If aiming to hire internally, this could include

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 mentoring, coaching, job rotation, secondments, educational programs and formalised
feedback processes.

4. Review feedback, i.e. performance assessment - Most importantly, succession planning needs
to be an ongoing commitment. Managers in all parts of the organisation should be continually
identifying gaps in talent and focusing on the development of high performers, while
recognising when external recruitment may be the appropriate path to fill vacancies.

Assessment tools used in succession planning

The role of assessment in succession planning is crucial for identifying and developing
potential leaders within an organization. Assessment helps in evaluating the skills, competencies,
and potential of individuals to determine their suitability for leadership positions (Lansberg &
Astrachan, 1994). It allows organizations to identify high-potential employees and provide them
with the necessary training and development opportunities (Griffith, 2012).
Assessment is also important in the implementation of succession planning. Current
leaders play a crucial role in the development of future leaders and in the recruitment,
assessment, and implementation of succession planning ("The Culture-Succession Model: The
Factors Affecting Implementation of Succession Planning In Malaysian Public Universities",
2019). Succession planning can be used advantageously for the identification, cultivation, and
development of key positions in an organization, including chief executive officers in healthcare
organizations (Collins et al., 2013).
Assessment in succession planning involves various factors. Adaptability and cohesion,
as well as the quality of the owner-manager and successor relationship, play a significant role in
determining the effectiveness of succession planning and successor training (Lansberg &
Astrachan, 1994). It is important to incorporate the identification, recruitment, retention,
development, coaching, and mentoring of potential leaders at an early stage (Griffith, 2012). Best
practice organizations integrate leadership development and succession planning systems by
utilizing managerial personnel in developing mentor networks, identifying high-potential
employees, and providing project-based learning experiences and workshops (Groves, 2007).

1. Personality assessment tools - When preparing successors for job roles, it’s vital to gain a full
understanding of your key talents (often called high-potential candidates). Therefore,
companies evaluate personality traits to define constantly manifested characteristics, often in
the face of changing circumstances. Succession planning tools based on a personality
assessment provide a comprehensive picture of the culture and relevance of the roles while
assessing the likelihood of performing a holistic work-related activity.

2. Behavioural assessment tools - The behavioural assessment tool for succession planning
requires candidates to display selected and critical behavioural competencies in one or more
exercises that reflect real-world workplace situations. The tool identifies and analyses the

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 behaviour required of employees when they take a leading role professionally and socially.
Behavioural assessment includes case studies, situational judgment tests, and exercises for
incoming managers to assess employee thinking and potential.

3. Cognitive assessment tools - Cognitive assessment studies the ability of the brain to perform
basic tasks such as thinking, learning, memorizing, concentrating, visualizing, recognizing,
organizing, and interpreting the environment. Throughout planning succession, cognitive
tests assess critical thinking and logic of workplace performance considerations. Various
studies have proven that cognitive abilities assessments are twice as practical as interviews.
The assessments help measure the skills needed by leaders to achieve excellence according to
business goals.

4. Technical assessment tools - Companies that value technical roles need tools that will help
them assess candidates. Thus, succession planning tools with technical assessment provide
comprehensive knowledge of workplace behaviour and the technical knowledge necessary
for success. Pre-employment assessments, such as job samples and knowledge tests, are good
indicators of job performance. These assessment technologies include an easily managed and
well-designed succession planning toolkit.

5. 360-degree feedback tools - In addition to the previous succession planning tools mentioned
above, it’s essential to have one more tool that will help collect feedback about work.
Seeking feedback from various stakeholders, such as superiors, colleagues, immediate
subordinates, and even clients, allows businesses to understand their perception of the
employee’s willingness to take on future roles.

References
(2019). The culture-succession model: the factors affecting implementation of succession
planning in malaysian public universities. International Journal of Engineering and Advanced
Technology, 9(1), 7096-7104. https://doi.org/10.35940/ijeat.a1356.109119

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 Barnett, R. and Davis, S. (2008). Creating greater success in succession planning.
Advances in Developing Human Resources, 10(5), 721-739.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422308322277
Collins, S., McKinnies, R., Matthews, E., & Collins, K. (2013). Succession planning. The
Health Care Manager, 32(3), 233-238. https://doi.org/10.1097/hcm.0b013e31829d7386
Griffith, M. (2012). Effective succession planning in nursing: a review of the literature.
Journal of Nursing Management, 20(7), 900-911. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-
2834.2012.01418.x
Groves, K. (2007). Integrating leadership development and succession planning best
practices. The Journal of Management Development, 26(3), 239-260.
https://doi.org/10.1108/02621710710732146
Lansberg, I. and Astrachan, J. (1994). Influence of family relationships on succession
planning and training: the importance of mediating factors. Family Business Review, 7(1), 39-59.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-6248.1994.00039.x
Phillips, L. (2020). Concept analysis: succession planning. Nursing Forum, 55(4), 730-
736. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12490
Titzer, J. and Shirey, M. (2013). Nurse manager succession planning: a concept analysis.
Nursing Forum, 48(3), 155-164. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12024
Wilson, V. (2018). Succession Planning Models, Conceptual Maps: Ethical
Considerations and Best Practices. In: Gordon, P., Overbey, J. (eds) Succession Planning.
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72532-1_16

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