|
|
| --- |
|
Featured Events & Training
--- 🚨 CEO Succession: The #1 Governance Blind Spot 🚨
Despite being one of the board’s most sensitive and high-stakes responsibilities, too many boards still stumble when it comes to CEO succession. This is one of the key findings of a recent joint study of the Center for Executive Succession and HR Policy Association (HRPA)
A recent study highlights 10 of the biggest pitfalls — and the results are sobering:
1. 41% of CEOs hesitate to engage in succession planning — stalling momentum, morale, and candidate development
2. Most boards only begin planning 12–18 months before a transition — far too late to prepare a CEO-ready successor
3. Only 58% of boards align their CEO profile with future strategy — meaning the wrong leader is chosen for the company’s next chapter
4. Succession discussions are often too shallow — more ritual than rigorous debate
5. Executive transitions are poorly managed — risking reputation, investor confidence, and leadership stability
💡 The research makes one point crystal clear:
👉🏼 A trusted CHRO is often more critical to the process than the CEO. When empowered & trusted, CHROs:
✔️ Reframe succession as strategy, not an exit plan ✔️ Provide objective, future-focused talent insights ✔️ Ensure continuity and minimize disruption during leadership transitions
The paradox? The CHRO is essential to CEO succession — but only if they are truly trusted by the board, the CEO, & the executive team
⚡ My humble take:
CEO succession isn’t just about replacing a leader. It’s about safeguarding the company’s future, honoring legacies, and protecting stakeholder confidence. Boards that treat it as a compliance exercise rather than a strategic imperative risk being caught unprepared — with consequences that echo far beyond the C-suite
But don't take my word for it. Take it from a previous client of mine. The Co-CEO of a beverage company stepped into a family CEO succession that was table stakes for the business. She described our working together as follows:
“I stepped into my first Co-CEO role about a year ago and selected Navid as my executive transition coach. Whilst this was a big new role for me, we made a lot of progress. As a result of our year-long engagement, I can wholeheartedly say that I got many insights and value for the time that we spent together. Navid’s thoughtful approach meant that at times, we deviated from the Double Diamond Framework of Executive Transitions to spend time on a more urgent or emergent topic. Navid’s coaching was always helpful, and I appreciate the insight and sustainable behaviour shifts that were created during our time together.”
What's Next? Stay tuned for upcoming newsletter editions where I'll be sharing fresh and actionable insights about the world of leadership.
I really would love for you to join this conversation! Do let me know what you make of this newsletter edition.
Warm wishes,
Navid
|
||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
