Succession comes down to a simple and uncomfortable question: if this person left next week, who would take over? Tanca doesn't have a dedicated succession screen, but it has enough data to answer that question.
Tanca does not yet have a dedicated succession planning screen. This article explains how to combine three existing things — career paths, the nine-box matrix and competency frameworks — into a usable succession plan, along with a tracking sheet outside the system.
Step 1 — choose key positions
Not every position needs a succession plan. A position is key when it meets at least two of these three conditions:
- If the person in the role leaves, part of the operation stops, not just slows down.
- Only one person in the company can do that job.
- Hiring a replacement takes more than three months, or the hiring cost is very high.
Open the Career Path tab (article B13-10) and look for nodes with only 1 employee — that's your first list of candidates for the key positions list.
Keep the list short. A 65-person business usually has only five to eight truly key positions. A list of 30 positions is a list no one can keep up with.
Step 2 — find potential successors
For each key position, find successors in this order:
- Open the nine-box matrix (article B13-08) and filter by the relevant department.
- Take the people in the Bright Star and Rising Star boxes — this is the high-potential group.
- Open the career path and confirm they are at the level directly below the position that needs a successor.
- Open the competency framework of the key position and compare each candidate's most recent review scores.
- Choose the person with the fewest gaps, and note clearly which skills they still lack.
For each key position, have two successors, not one. A sole successor can also leave, and then you're back to square one.
Step 3 — classify readiness levels
| Level | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Ready now | Meets the required level in almost all skills | Assign trial duties while the incumbent is on leave |
| Ready in 1 year | Lacks one or two skills | A development plan with clear goals for those two skills |
| Ready in 2–3 years | Lacks many skills, but has high potential | Long-term mentoring, job rotation |
| No one yet | No one can be found internally | Prepare an external hiring plan, or split the position |
The No one yet box is the most important box in this whole article. Knowing you have no successor is far more valuable information than filling in a random name just to complete the table.
Step 4 — tracking sheet outside the system
Since Tanca doesn't yet have a succession screen, set up a spreadsheet with the following columns and review it every quarter:
| Column | Content |
|---|---|
| Key position | Job title name |
| Incumbent | Who currently holds it |
| Risk of losing the person | High / Medium / Low |
| Successor 1 · 2 | Name |
| Readiness level | Per the table above |
| Missing skills | Taken from the competency framework |
| Actions underway to close the gap | Training courses, projects, rotations |
| Last reviewed | Date |
Three principles for succession planning
- Don't promise positions. A succession plan is the company's preparation, not a commitment to an individual. Miscommunicating this has serious consequences when the position goes to someone else.
- Keep the list within a small group. The board of directors and HR. A leaked succession list demotivates the people who aren't on it.
- Review every quarter. People leave, people progress, positions change. A succession plan left unreviewed for a year is a wrong plan.
