Succession Planning

Succession Planning: Talent development within organizations

[Name of student]

[Date of submission]

Introduction2

Discussion3

One school of thought: Succession planning is not essential3

Other school of thought: Succession planning is a result of sustained efforts5

My position6

Justification8

Conclusion9

References11

Succession Planning: Talent development within organizations

Introduction

In this modern and competitive era, organizations, regardless of their size are striving for success. Many elements are synchronized within the daily operations of an organization which help in boosting up the performance and thus consequently help in the success of organization. Talent development or succession development is one of those key elements which help an organization boosting up its performance (Elkin, Smith, & Zhang, 2013). There are two school thoughts which take talent within an organization in different ways. According to one school of thought, talent cannot be forcefully developed within an organization (Rothwell, 2010). This school of thought claims that talent development is evolutionary and happens by “itself” based on needs of the environment. In this case, succession planning is desirable but not essential. As per the beliefs of the other school of thought, succession planning is must for an organization, and can be induced by taken many strategic steps. Talent development is a result of a sustained effort aimed at undertaking a strategic choice for developing talent. This involves developing talent on the basis of having a comprehensive, general instructional plan that supports achievement of strategic business and HR plans. For carrying out a discussion on the difference between these two “school of thoughts”, first having a strong understanding of “succession planning” is very important (Zepeda, Bengtson, & Parylo, 2012, pp.136-158).

Succession planning is a process for identifying and developing internal people with the potential to fill key business leadership positions in the company. Succession planning increases the availability of experienced and capable employees that are prepared to assume these roles as they become available. Taken narrowly, “replacement planning” for key roles is the heart of succession planning (Elkin, Smith, & Zhang, 2013). Effective succession or talent-pool management concerns itself with building a series of feeder groups up and down the entire leadership pipeline or progression (Zepeda, Bengtson, & Parylo, 2012, pp.136-158). In contrast, replacement planning is focused narrowly on identifying specific back-up candidates for given senior management positions. For the most part position-driven replacement planning (often referred to as the “truck scenario”) is a forecast, which research indicates does not have substantial impact on outcomes (Bhattacharya, Sen, & Korschun, 2012).

Discussion

There are many reasons behind the difference between these two perspectives. Talent development, according to one school of thought, cannot be forced into an organization. Instead it is developed automatically, if it has to; whereas, in the other case talent is induced within an organization by implementing a specific set of strategies and plans (Rothwell, 2010).

One school of thought: Succession planning is not essential

The school of thought who claims that talent cannot be developed forcefully in organizations believes that talent is an in born thing which cannot be developed by applying any sort of external ...