Planning For The Leaders You Need—In The Future

“Skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

The great advice above is for hockey players from superstar Wayne Gretsky, and it’s also important advice when looking at succession planning for an executive team.

Succession planning is one of those “important but not urgent” issues that executive teams typically put off (like compliance reviews and intellectual property protection planning and web site upgrades). It’s always on the “to do” list but rarely near the top. And, many times, the thinking is that until someone announces their retirement, there really isn’t a . . .