Free Succession Planning Template and In-Depth 2025 Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:56 p.m.

ent Management / Free Succession Planning Template and...

e Succession Planning
mplate and In-Depth
5 Guide
in summed up succession planning by saying, “Planning is
he future into the present, so you can do something about it

may seem like a simple concept, but long-term business success

As taught in the Talent Management Certificate P
n e!ective succession planning. So, how can you get it right?
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.86 Rating
y Andrea Boatman ! 8 minutes read

by Cheryl Marie Tay

Formulating a succession planning template helps to define the purpose and

key components of your succession plan. This detailed template can help you Subscribe to our
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chart primary functions and orientate your organization’s succession planning
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journey.
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Essential employees resign inevitably. But if you’ve taken preemptive actions

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to prepare for this situation, you won’t be thrown o! guard or have to do

much damage control. Instead, you’ll be able to respond with purpose and
Try it
have a solid plan to fall back on.

There are various types of succession planning templates you can use,

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Free Succession Planning Template and In-Depth 2025 Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:56 p.m.

depending on the role level for which you are developing a succession plan.

This article unpacks the di!erent types and explains how to develop a

succession plan for your organization.

Contents

What is a succession planning template?

Types of succession planning templates

1. Simple succession planning template

2. 9-box succession planning template

3. CEO succession planning template

4. Employee development plan template

5. Leadership development plan template

How to e!ectively use a succession planning template

Succession planning best practices

What is a succession planning

template?
A succession planning template is a carefully crafted document that outlines

and streamlines an organization’s succession planning process. The template

outlines the processes and steps needed to identify, develop, and prepare

internal candidates to fill key positions.

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Free Succession Planning Template and In-Depth 2025 Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:56 p.m.

What to include in a succession planning template

A detailed succession plan will prepare your organization for the future and

provide development opportunities for employees to grow into future roles.

To ensure this, your template must cover all the essential elements of the

process. An e!ective succession plan template should include the following

components:

Critical roles: Since succession planning is about replacing high-level

leaders and other vital employees, you must specify which roles the

plan will focus on.

Key competencies: Define the competencies necessary to fulfill critical

roles so you can provide a blueprint for the skills the organization

requires of successors.

Succession planning timelines: Establish a detailed timeline with

clearly defined milestones and deadlines for each stage of the

succession planning process. This creates accountability and avoids

stagnation.

Potential succession candidates: Identify individuals with the capacity

to fill key roles. This will help you determine whether the company’s

talent pool can support succession planning.

Potential successors’ readiness ratings: Evaluate potential

successors’ ability and readiness to assume new responsibilities based

on their experience, qualifications, and performance. Based on this,

you can decide on the development plans necessary to bridge any skills

gaps.

Your talent pool can be placed in three readiness categories:

1. Ready now (can step into the role immediately with proper onboarding

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and support)

2. Ready in one to two years

3. Ready in three to five years.

LEARN MORE
Succession Planning: All You Need To Know [2025 Edition]

Types of succession planning

templates
Di!erent succession planning templates have varying degrees of detail and

complexity to suit your organization’s situation and needs. Here’s an overview

of five common types of succession planning templates:

1. Simple succession planning template

You can use a spreadsheet to lay out a simple succession planning chart. It

should contain fields for the following information:

Position for succession

The current position holder’s name

Timeline for successor to fill the role

The role’s key competencies

Succession candidates’ names

Succession candidates’ readiness rating

Brief description of the succession candidate’s development plan

Performance metrics and KPIs for succession plan and candidate’s

performance in the role

Performance monitoring frequency (monthly, quarterly, etc.)

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Free Succession Planning Template and In-Depth 2025 Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:56 p.m.

Whom to contact (supervisor) if the role is suddenly available.

GET FREE TEMPLATE

2. 9-box succession planning template

The 9-box succession planning template is a grid that divides employees into

groups based on performance and potential criteria. The grid creates a visual

display of the individuals who have shown they can thrive in their current

roles and potentially manage more responsibility in the future.

You can use the following steps to design a 9-box grid for your organization:

Step 1: Performance evaluation

This step puts employees on one axis of the grid based on the organization’s

targets and performance appraisal ratings. A typical scale will include

performance categories of low, moderate, and high (or something similar).

Step 2: Evaluation of potential

Assessing potential involves reviewing talent with objective data to find

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Free Succession Planning Template and In-Depth 2025 Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:56 p.m.

employees with a growth mindset and who put in extra e!ort. The following

employee ratings make up the other grid axis:

Low potential: These employees are already performing at full

potential. They either lack the capacity for more than their current

responsibilities or the motivation to improve.

Moderate potential: These employees perform at the expected level

and have the expertise or potential to develop further within their

current roles.

High potential: These employees are performing beyond the expected

level of their current roles and are ready to move into a position with

more complex responsibilities.

Step 3: Merge performance and potential

In this step, performance and potential are plotted on a 3×3 grid. This

categorizes employees as follows to make up the 9-box grid:

Underperformer (low potential and performance)

Inconsistent performer (moderate potential, low performance)

Untapped talent (high potential, low performance)

E!ective performer (low potential, moderate performance)

Reliable team player (moderate potential, moderate performance)

High potential (high potential, moderate performance)

Trusted professional (low potential, high performance)

Strong contributor (moderate potential, high performance)

Exceptional talent (high potential, high performance).

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This frame of reference identifies high-performing employees, mid-range

employees who may benefit from support and development, and

underperforming employees who require an immediate performance

improvement plan (PIP).

9BoxGridfor
SuccessionPlanning
High

Develop Develop/Stretch Stretch

SarahWilson, Michael JanetSmith,
Employee Thompson, HRBusiness
RelationsManager HRISAnalyst Partner
Potential

Observe-Dilemma Core Stretch/Develop

SophiaRodriguez, SteveWhite,
TalentAcquisition Benefits RachelGreen,
HRAdministrator
Specialist Coordinator

Observe/Terminate Observe-Effective Trust

JohnDoe, AlexKim, ClaireClark,

HRAssistant HRAnalyst PayrollSpecialist

Low Performance High

LEARN MORE
9 Box Grid: A Practitioner’s Guide [FREE Template]
AIHR ACADEMYTO
INNOVATEHR

3. CEO succession planning template

A CEO succession planning template is a roadmap the board of directors can

follow ahead of hiring a CEO. It is a leadership continuity plan that factors in

necessary considerations and organizes the overall process.

A CEO succession planning template should begin by defining the criteria for

candidate selection. This involves outlining the organization’s priorities,

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current and future challenges, and strategies for achieving goals. This will

help pinpoint the skills and experience required to lead the company. Criteria

may include industry experience, functional/educational background, areas of

leadership expertise, and personality traits.

A management succession plan template organizes potential successor

candidates by ranking their readiness and suitability according to pre-

determined criteria. It can also state how to cultivate future candidates. CEO

succession planning template formats vary since they must account for each

company’s needs, goals, culture, size, and competitive advantage. However,

the template sections typically include these headings:

Overview of operations for the next three to five years

The next CEO’s ideal characteristics

Profile of the next CEO

Internal succession candidates

External succession candidates

Candidate recruitment or development plan.

GET PPT TEMPLATE

4. Employee development plan template

Ongoing investment in employees’ professional growth assures a wider

selection of qualified successors for key roles. This is especially true when

both organizational goals and employee needs must inform the development

plan.

An employee development plan template is a clear-cut document stating

what an individual must do to expand their knowledge and skills and access

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more career opportunities. It tracks progress and facilitates meaningful

coaching conversations between managers and employees.

This template contains information on development goals and the skills

development and action plan required for each goal.

GET FREE TEMPLATE

9 Steps To Create an Impactful Employee Development Plan [Free
Template]

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Free Succession Planning Template and In-Depth 2025 Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:56 p.m.

5. Leadership development plan template

A leadership development plan o!ers employees a long-term, individualized

strategy for acquiring the competencies an organization wants for its future

leaders.

A leadership development plan template o!ers a consistent framework

managers can implement to foster professional growth in their teams that

aligns with organizational goals. The template outlines employee

development and accountability with the following sections:

Employee’s personal particulars

Goals

Skills development needed to reach goals

Action plan to achieve goals

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Expected outcomes Contents
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Timeframe
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Supervisor’s feedback and evaluation.

What is a succession planning
template?

Types of succession planning

templates

How to e!ectively use a succession

How to e"ectively use a succession planning template

planning template Succession planning best practices

Relevant Articles
Whether you design a succession planning chart from scratch or use a sample
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version, you should make the most of it. Here are some tips on how to

construct and use succession planning templates e!ectively:

Step 1: Clearly define each section

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You should be able to read and complete the template easily. Adjust the

template as needed by adding or removing sections to make it as relevant as

possible. Use familiar wording for instructions, headings, and sections, and be

specific about exactly which information must be filled in.

Step 2: Apply consistent criteria

Make sure assessments within the template are objective and comparable by

using the same criteria throughout the template for evaluating roles and their

potential successors. This includes clear definitions and standardized rating

scales for distinguishing criticality, scarcity, skills, competencies, and

readiness levels.

Step 3: Make it actionable

The template should be a catalyst for successor development. It should

include explicit, actionable steps potential successors must take to prepare

for future roles. These can include targeted training, stretch projects, job

shadowing, mentoring, or leadership workshops.

Step 4: Regularly update the information

Succession planning is an ongoing process, so the template must evolve to

reflect this. Schedule regular template reviews and updates to keep it current

and address shifting business priorities. This may entail adding new potential

successors, redefining critical roles, updating development progress and

needs, and reflecting any changes in key positions.

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Succession planning best practices

While a comprehensive, well-written succession planning template is a

fundamental aspect of your succession planning process, you should also the

following best practices to make your company’s succession planning process

as e!ective as possible:

Embrace a long-term, continuous outlook

Don’t wait until there’s a drastic need for a succession plan to implement one.

Begin the process as early as possible, recognizing how it can support

business continuity and meet the organization’s upcoming demands.

Keep in mind that succession planning must be an ongoing e!ort. Staying on

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top of critical roles is a critical and necessary competency, and it ensures

consistent development opportunities for employees.

Foster collaboration with senior leadership

Succession planning should be a team e!ort. Leadership should be the

driving force, with HR playing a facilitative role. Although senior leaders may

tend to focus on the high-level positions they value most, their buy-in

throughout the process makes succession planning activities more credible.

HR should encourage executives to show their commitment by providing

their expert insights, actively participating in decision-making, and even

coaching potential successors.

Prioritize professional development

Investing in professional development enriches the employee experience and

strengthens your talent pipeline by closing the skills gap. Bolster a learning

culture with su$cient development opportunities that equip employees with

the leadership qualities they need to further their careers

You can prepare employees to be future leaders by providing learning

experiences such as specialized training, conferences, seminars and

workshops, professional certification platforms, mentoring and coaching

programs, and cross-training.

Openly communicate the succession planning

process

Inform employees on the organization’s succession plan and how it will a!ect

them. Openly share the plan’s procedures for naming, developing, and

selecting potential successors. This will build trust and foster engagement

among employees.

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You should also be transparent with potential successors and manage their

expectations (e.g., being shortlisted for a management position does not

guarantee they will get it). Remind them the plan’s details are tentative, as

business needs and circumstances can change without notice.

Factor in emergency succession situations

In the case of sudden employee exits, the organization may not be able to

announce every vacancy in advance. As such, you need a comprehensive

succession plan to address unexpected vacancies in essential positions,

maintain stability, and minimize risks.

Sudden departures often cause disruptions. You can prepare for these by

temporarily distributing responsibilities or naming interim leaders who can

step into each critical role. Be sure to review the succession plan regularly

and update it whenever necessary.

To sum up

Succession planning is a proactive mechanism that builds resilience and

safeguards an organization’s future. With a complete succession planning

template, you can execute your organization’s succession strategy while being

prepared to handle any unexpected occurrences along the way.

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Andrea Boatman

Andrea Boatman is a former SHRM certified HR manager with a degree in English

who now enjoys combining the two as an HR writer. Her previous positions were

held with employers in the education, healthcare, and pension consulting

industries.

Learn more

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