 One variant of career Planning is succession planning.  Career planning covers executives at all levels.  Succession planning is done for some senior positions only.  It aims at identifying those individuals who stand a chance of succeeding an executive on his retirement.

 The plan also gives a comparative view of individuals in terms of their age,present performance and promotability.  It may use different colour tabs to indicate the current level of an individual`s promotion potential.  The plan is generally regarded as highly confidential.

No.NameCurrent designation AgePresent Performanc e When promotable -Colour Code. 1Mr. Ravi Kumar Director -Production 56OutstandingBlue 2Mr. NDirector -Marketing 53SatisfactoryRed 3Mr.ODirector -Planning 54OutstandingGreen 4Mr. PDirector Personnel 51SatisfactoryWhile 5Mr. QDirector Finance 55SatisfactoryWhile

 Effective succession planning should begin years or even decades before critical vacancies arise.

 Organisations need to ensure that their human resource practices support the recruitment,development and retention of appropriate leadership personnel.  Succession planning should be based on agreed principles, provide a breadth of experiences critical to leadership, and be active at all levels of organisation.

 Effective succession planning identifies future organisational needs, potential future leaders,inspire leadership aspirations, bases the selection processes and program design on future leadership capabilities, creates pool of talent etc.

 Effective succession planning provides for the development of future leaders and the on- going development and retention of current leaders.  An intensive comprehensive initiative.  It is a part of the overall planning process, one that starts with a strategic plan and the assessment of resources needed for it. The resource is human resource.

 Developing a management group with the leadership competencies needed to achieve the strategic plan is known as succession planning.  Succession planning includes three steps-1. Businessundergoes an overall assessment to identify the problems and opportunities.  2. Develop a compatible plan and make a commitment to implementation.

 3. Keep in mind that succession planning is a process, not a project.  Succession planning should be supported by the top level management.  Identify the critical performers who are ready to step into critical prositions.  A systematic approach for identifying, nominating and selecting potential successors must be developed.

 Succession planning should belong to the organisation, not to the HR department.

 1. Candidate selection  2.Experience  3.Training and Development  4.Visibility  5.Time period.

 A healthy mix of internal promotions and external hires creates both a foundation of continuity and an infusion of new ideas.

 Leadership candidates should be given experience in different parts of the company.  The purpose is to allow them to meet key employees, key suppliers,and important customers.  To build trusting relationships.

 A succession chart  Succession book showing the candidate`s background,and education, career progress and trining achievements is used in the companies.  Community activity by leadership candidates-Allows board members to see leadership candidates in action in different settings.

 Succession planning must be planned years in advance of expected needs.

 On-going supply of well trained, broadly experienced,well motivated people  Cadre of desirable candidates who are being integrated into the agency with positive goals  Alignment of the future needs of the agency with the availability of appropriate resources within the agency.  Identify people who can move to crucial positions.

 Can use the program to enhance recruiting