Effective Succession Planning: Ensuring Leadership Continuity and Building Talent from Within, 5th Edition | William Rothwell

Nobody likes to lose good employees. But sometimes the loss of a key employee can be disruptive to the business at best, and completely disastrous at worst. Organizations that don’t take steps to address future talent needs at all levels will face some major obstacles or even near collapse when undervalued key employees get burned out and leave you to fend for yourself. The most comprehensive book on the subject, the fifth edition of the bestselling Effective Succession Planning covers every base of how to address future talent needs before a crisis hits, including how to: • Identify competencies and clarify organizational values • Plan for and quickly fill crucial vacancies at all levels • Develop and retain top talent • Assess current needs and future resources for seamless succession planning • And more Updated with current best practices, trends, and technology, the latest edition also includes: succession planning for small businesses and nonprofits; replacement planning; transition management; downsizing; international issues; mergers and acquisitions as a talent strategy; and succession planning for technical positions as well as roles built on longstanding social relationships. Don’t risk the loss of your most valued employees and their accumulated wisdom and experience that has been key to your company’s success for many years. Effective Succession Planning is your go-to indispensable guide for avoiding the catastrophe that losing them would bring.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This fifth edition incorporates the many changes to the economy over the past 15 years, including how succession plans were recast as a direct consequence of 9/11." --HR Professional

“… especially helpful for those who are early in their exposure to succession planning practices…Highly experienced practitioners will also find good nuggets of information, pointers, and reminders.” --PM World Journal

"An indispensable resource for any organization concerned with retaining the accumulated wisdom of its most valued employees." --Coaching Tips, The Leadership Blog

"Fifth edition of this seminal book, a vital resource for any organization looking to put in place a working, solid succession plan...comes with wealth of added and revised content." --TD magazine

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Book Description

Organizations that don’t take steps to address future talent needs at all levels will face certain disruptions, and even disasters, when key employees leave. The most comprehensive book on the subject, Effective Succession Planning helps readers:

Identify competencies and clarify organizational values • Plan for and quickly fill crucial vacancies at all levels • Develop and retain top talent, building and preserving the organization’s intellectual capital • Assess current needs and future resources for seamless succession planning • And more

Covering best practices, current trends, and the latest technology, the fifth edition also features new and revised material on: succession planning for small businesses and nonprofits; replacement planning; transition management; downsizing; international issues; mergers and acquisitions as a talent strategy; and succession planning for technical positions as well as roles built on longstanding social relationships.

Packed with enlightening case studies and practical guidance, Effective Succession Planning remains an indispensable resource for any organization concerned with retaining the accumulated wisdom of its most valued employees.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

Is your organization truly prepared for the loss of your most crucial players? Are there certain technical or specialized positions at your company with only one person who knows how to do them? What would happen if your most valuable executive walked into your office right now, and announced she was leaving to accept a similar position elsewhere? Do you know how to cope with the loss of certain key members of the management team you’ve come to rely on?

In short: Do you have a rock-solid succession plan in place?

The definitive guide to a timely and timeless topic—now fully revised and updated—the Fifth Edition of Effective Succession Planning is an indispensable resource for any organization concerned with retaining the accumulated wisdom of its most valued employees.

Covering best practices, current trends, and the latest technology, this long-trusted manual provides you with the tools and guidance you need to revamp your succession strategy, create and put in place a new one, and arm yourself against the trauma of personnel shakeups…all without missing a beat. You’ll learn how to:

• Plan for and quickly fill crucial vacancies at all levels from top management to sales, administrative, technical, and production positions.

• Develop and retain top talent, building and preserving your organization’s intellectual capital.

• Identify competencies, values and ethical requirements for both planning and managing a succession program.

• Assess current needs and future resources for seamless succession planning.

• Use the latest technology to organize and implement succession planning and management programs.

• Go beyond succession planning to address talent management and related issues.

Fully updated to address challenges brought on by globalization, recession, technology, and more, the Fifth Edition features new and revised material on topics including: succession planning for small businesses and nonprofits; replacement planning; transition management; downsizing; international issues; mergers and acquisitions as a talent strategy; and succession planning for technical positions as well as roles built on longstanding social relationships.

Every company’s heart and soul—not to mention its bottom line—is dependent on the collective wisdom of its people. If your organization doesn’t take steps to address future talent needs at all levels, you’re sure to face disruptions, and even disasters, when key employees leave.

Packed with forms, tools, examples, and guidance, this is an essential handbook for any organization that wants to keep moving forward, when employees move on, without missing a beat.

WILLIAM J. ROTHWELL is Professor of Workplace Learning and Performance in the Workforce Education and Development program on the University Park campus of The Pennsylvania State University, and the President of Rothwell & Associates, a business consultancy with more than 40 multinational clients in the private, public, nonprofit, and government sectors. An internationally respected authority on human resources issues, he is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars around the world, and the author of Invaluable Knowledge: Securing Your Company’s Technical Expertise, a sister book to accompany this book that focuses on attracting, developing and retaining technical talent crucial to an organization’s competitive advantage.

About the Author

WILLIAM J. ROTHWELL, PH.D., SPHR, CPLP FELLOW, is Professor of Workplace Learning and Performance at Pennsylvania State University and President of Rothwell Associates, a premier human resources consulting firm.