1. Benchmark-It Webinar: Talent Reviews & Succession PlanningBy
William J. Rothwell, Ph.D., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CPLP Fellow
President, Rothwell & Associates, Inc.
© Copyright by William J. Rothwell, Ph.D., SPHR

2. Why Models Are Important
All best practice organizations use models to guide what they do
Models help explain what the organization is trying to do

3. Simple Replacement Planning
Manager
Position Title
Rank
Name
Readiness
Manager
Position Title
Manager
Position Title
Manager
Position Title
Rank
Name
Readiness
Rank
Name
Readiness
Rank
Name
Readiness

4. What Strategic Model Can Guide Succession Planning?
Step 1: Make the
commitment
Step 2: Assess
present work/people
requirements
Step 7: Evaluate
the program
Step 3: Evaluate current
performance
Step 6: Close
developmental gaps
Step 4: Determine
future work/people
requirements
Step 5: Assess
potential
Source: Rothwell, W. (2010). Effective succession planning. (4th ed.). New York: Amacom.

5. What Strategic Model Can Guide Talent Management?
Step 1: Make the
commitment
Step 2: Assess
present work/people
requirements
Step 9: Evaluate
the program
Step 8: Establish
Retention Program
Step 3: Evaluate current
performance
Step 7: Close
developmental gaps
Step 4: Determine
recruiting/selection procedures
Step 5: Determine
future work/people
requirements
Step 6: Assess
potential
Source: Rothwell, W. (2010). Effective succession planning. (4th ed.). New York: Amacom.

6. What Tactical Model Can Guide Talent Management?
Take Steps to Identify Short-term and Long-term Backups for Their Own Work
Set An Example By Modeling Self-development
Ass
Assess Individual Potential
Recruit and Select Talented People
Decruit People Who Are Not
Performing Properly After
Exhausting Other Efforts
Train and Develop Talented People
Work with Diverse People
Encourage Career Planning and
Offer Career Counseling
Retain Talent
Carry Out Performance and
Development Coaching
Transfer Knowledge and
Professional Contacts
Appraise Workers and Provide Daily Feedback
Manage High Potential and High Professional Workers
Source: Rothwell, W. (2009). The manager’s guide to maximizing employee potential. New York: Amacom.

7. What Model Can Guide Technical Talent Management and Succession Planning?
Step 1:
Make the commitment
Step 2: Clarify what work processes are key to the organization’s mission
Step 3: Clarify who possesses specialized knowledge about those key work processes
Step 5: Clarify how those work processes are performed by those possessing specialized knowledge
Step 6: Capture and distill the specialized knowledge about those work processes that is possessed by those with special knowledge
Step 7: Consider how to maintain and transmit specialized knowledge and who needs it to ensure the efficient and effective continuity of operations
Step 8: Continuously assess knowledge gaps, evaluate the action strategies taken to address them, and the results achieved
Step 4: Clarify who is at risk for loss to the organization
Source: Rothwell, W., and Poduch, S. (2004). Introducing technical (not managerial) succession planning. Public Personnel Management,, 33(4),

8. Ways to Transfer Knowledge
Job shadowing
Job rotation
Job aids
Mentoring
Coaching
Can you think of other ways?

9. What Model Can Guide Social Network Succession Planning?
Step 1:
Make the commitment
Step 2: Clarify what social relationships are key to the organization’s mission
Step 3: Clarify who has those relationships
Step 5: Clarify how those social relationships are used by those who have them
Step 6: Identify ways to introduce/pass on social networks to future successors
Step 7: Consider how to ensure that the social relationship “pass ons” are effective
Step 8: Continuously assess social networks, evaluate the action strategies taken to pass them on, and the results achieved
Step 4: Clarify who is at risk for loss to the organization
Source: Rothwell, W. (2007). Social relationship succession planning: A neglected but important issue?.Asian Quality, 2(4),

10. Ways to Transfer Social Relationships
2 people in one job
Job shadowing
Mentoring
Coaching
Can you think of other ways?