--- title: What is Succession Planning? description: What is succession planning? Find out how succession planning helps to identify and grow talent to fill leadership and business critical positions in the future. And learn how to get started to make succession planning as effective as possible in your organisation. image: https://blog.head-light.co.uk/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/talent-review-meeting-1200px-1-1.jpg --- [![HeadLight-logo-from LF for website](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/hubfs/HeadLight_Sep2016/HeadLight-logo-from%20LF%20for%20website.png)](https://head-light.co.uk/) - [About Us](https://head-light.co.uk/what-makes-head-light-different/) ### [Our Clients Our clients come from industry, justice, government and not for profit sectors.](https://head-light.co.uk/our-clients/) ### [Case Studies Find out what people have said about Head Light and how we have helped.](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/case-studies) ### [Client Charter We like to be clear and upfront in how we work – and how we won’t work. 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By defining a succession planning strategy and [creating a succession planning model](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2018/09/succession-planning-model) for your organisation, you'll be minimising the risk caused by unplanned vacancies and your strong talent will see career progression mapped out before them. It's clear that there are a number of [benefits of succession planning.](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2019/02/benefits-of-succession-planning) If you want to [get started with succession planning](https://info.head-light.co.uk/how-to-introduce-robust-succession-planning), you'll need to bear in mind the key components and the essential steps for succession planning.  You will need to decide on which are your [critical positions](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2019/02/identify-critical-positions). You’ll also need to identify who in your organisation is considered to have the potential to progress (that is, the [high potentials or HiPos](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2019/02/360-identify-potential-succession-plan-)) further in their career with you. You'll then create a talent pool of this talent and then manage and review these people in a [talent review board or succession planning meeting.](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2019/02/succession-planning-talent-review) As a first step you need to consider the model or approach you'll take - and the [succession planning template](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2019/02/succession-planning-template) that you want to use. In the past these templates have been spreadsheet-based - but now are built into succession intelligence platforms. This too has the advantage of helping to make sure the talent data or talent profiles and well as the planned successor information is more accurate and up-to-date. Such software tools collate the details of those critical positions identified by the business and the names of people who could take over – sometimes with a time frame allocated. They also flag up the support needed for that individual to achieve the next role.  You’ll make use of a [9 Box Grid](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/blog/2019/02/9-box-grid) - also known as the Performance/Potential Grid. This is an invaluable tool that lets you to plot talent into one of nine boxes measuring potential and performance. The top right box is the most valuable position (high in performance and potential).  With [succession planning software](https://head-light.co.uk/products/talent-successor/) to support you, you will be able to draw together key talent data and report on it in different ways. You'll have access to succession intelligence  It will help you to structure, inform and manage succession planning. It usually includes analytics and charts – but you need to check.  *If you want to read more about succession planning, request our eBook – [The Ultimate Guide to Succession Planning.](https://info.head-light.co.uk/sign-up-succession-planning) When you're ready to talk about how we could support your succession plan strategy - or just to see some succession planning examples, [do get it touch](https://head-light.co.uk/contact-us).* [Succession Planning](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/topic/succession-planning) [Succession Intelligence](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/topic/succession-intelligence) ## Related posts ### [The Police Leadership Commission Report: What It Means for Your Force](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/police-leadership-commission-report-what-it-means-for-your-force) The Police Leadership Commission report sets a clear direction for policing - and it has immediate i... 23 Jul 2026 ### [Organisational Insight: evidence that organisations fail to use](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/organisational-insight-evidence-not-used) Organisational insight is one of the most underestimated assets available to HR and business leaders... 13 Jul 2026 ### [How your Workforce Intelligence platform turns data into signals](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/workforce-intelligence-platform-turns-data-into-signals) Every organisation generates data about its people continuously. Performance ratings, development ac... 13 Jul 2026 [![HeadLight-logo-from LF for website](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/hubfs/HeadLight_Sep2016/HeadLight-logo-from%20LF%20for%20website.png)](https://head-light.co.uk/) [![Fosway-2025](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Fosway-2025-150x150.jpg?width=150&height=150&name=Fosway-2025-150x150.jpg)](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/news/head-light-fosway-grid-2025)   ### Useful Links - [Home](https://head-light.co.uk/) - [About](https://head-light.co.uk/what-makes-head-light-different/) - [Workforce Signals](https://head-light.co.uk/workforce-intelligence-platform/) - [Products](https://head-light.co.uk/products-overview/) - [Blue Light Services](https://head-light.co.uk/blue-light-services/) ### Workforce Signals - [Capability Intelligence](https://head-light.co.uk/workforce-intelligence-platform/workforce-mobility/) - [Organisational Insight](https://head-light.co.uk/workforce-intelligence-platform/organisational-insight/) - [Succession Intelligence](https://head-light.co.uk/workforce-intelligence-platform/organisational-insight/) - [View All](https://head-light.co.uk/workforce-intelligence-platform/) ### Our Products - [Talent 360](https://head-light.co.uk/products-overview/talent-360/) - [Talent Performance](https://head-light.co.uk/products-overview/talent-performance/) - [Talent Navigator](https://head-light.co.uk/products-overview/talent-navigator/) - [View All](https://head-light.co.uk/products-overview/) ### Consultancy & Training - [Consultancy & Training Services](https://head-light.co.uk/consultancy-training/) - [Designing your competency framework](https://head-light.co.uk/designing-your-competency-framework/) - [360 and performance assessment design](https://head-light.co.uk/assessment-design/) ### Support - [Contact](https://head-light.co.uk/contact-us/) - [Blog](https://blog.head-light.co.uk) - [FAQs](https://head-light.co.uk/faqs/) - [Resources](https://head-light.co.uk/resources/) - [News](https://blog.head-light.co.uk/news)   Copyright © Head Light Ltd. 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