"Wait… Who’s in Charge Now?" – Why Smart Companies Don’t Wing Leadership Transitions

Heather Gardner
Jun 24, 2025
2 min read

You know that moment when someone says, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” and then you realize there’s no bridge?

That’s what it feels like when a key leader leaves—and there’s no succession plan.

We’ve seen it all: The sudden resignations. The surprise retirements. The unexpected health leave. And unfortunately, too often, we’ve also seen the scramble that follows.

Let’s talk about why succession planning should never be an afterthought—and how it can be the secret weapon that sets strong companies apart from shaky ones.

What Is Succession Planning?

In plain terms, it’s the process of identifying and preparing future leaders to step into critical roles when the time comes—ideally before there’s a crisis.

It’s not just for CEOs either. Think:

Department heads
Technical leads
Project managers
High-impact individual contributors

In short: Anyone whose absence would cause a “Who’s got this?!” moment.

Why It Matters More Than You Think

✅ Continuity – The work keeps moving, even if the person doesn’t.

✅ Morale – Team members feel more secure when leadership transitions are smooth.

✅ Retention – Internal candidates are more likely to stay when they see a clear growth path.

✅ Reputation – Companies that plan ahead look stable and attractive to external talent (and investors).

And let’s not forget:It’s a lot easier to promote someone you’ve been actively developing—than to panic-hire under pressure.

Common Excuses... and Why They Don’t Fly

“We’ll figure it out when we need to.”Translation: We’ll wait until everything’s on fire.

“We’re a small company—we don’t need that.”Small companies often feel the loss of a leader even more intensely. Fewer people = fewer backups.

“No one’s leaving anytime soon.”Famous last words. People retire. Get poached. Change careers. Life happens.

How to Build a Strong Succession Plan (Without Overthinking It)

Start by identifying key rolesWho are your irreplaceables—or at least, hard-to-replace-ables?
Spot your internal rising starsWho’s already showing leadership potential, even if they’re not in a management role yet?
Invest in development nowTraining, mentoring, stretch assignments—prepare people before the opportunity arrives.
Document the “how”Processes, knowledge transfer, key relationships—don’t let all that institutional knowledge walk out the door.
Have honest conversationsTalk to your team about where they see themselves—and let them know you see them too.