Succession at Scale: Smart Moves for Midsize Companies

Let's be honest: when most Talent leaders hear "succession planning," their brain jumps to massive org charts, a 9-box grid the size of a billboard, and consultants with slide decks thicker than a novel.

That may be the reality for many large corporations, but the good news is you don't need tens of thousands of employees to think and act like a Fortune 500 company. If you're in a midsize organization - say 500-1000 employees - you can absolutely implement a credible, impactful succession strategy. You just have to scale it smartly.

Let's break down how best-in-class companies approach succession and how to translate those practices into something realistic, effective...AND career-advancing for you as a Talent leader.

Smart Organizations Don't Plan for Roles. They Plan for Risk.

Over the years, I've heard succession conversations start like this:

"Who could replace Jane?"

But a more strategic approach would be asking:

"What happens if Jane leaves tomorrow?"

Gartner research shows that fewer than 25% of organizations feel confident in their succession pipelines, largely because they focus too narrowly on incumbents instead of role risks and readiness gaps.

Scale it: Instead of building plans for every leadership role, identify your top 10-15 risk-critical roles, such as:

• Revenue-driving leaders
• Roles with long ramp-up times
• Positions held by flight risks or leaders nearing retirement

Succession at scale isn't about coverage everywhere...that's not realistic. Rather, it's about prioritizing coverage where failure hurts most.

Smart Organizations Rely on Talent Pools, Not One-to-One Replacements.

Companies are shifting away from the traditional "heir apparent" strategy, because static successors are often (not always) a less effective in evolving environments. Sometimes, this approach works - but research from McKinsey shows that companies with strong internal talent mobility outperform peers in the long run. Several years ago, I attended a conference session led by industry leader Tamar Elkeles, who implored the growing necessity of talent pools when preparing for an organization's future, particularly when preparing for "roles that may not even exist yet."

Scale it: Create role-based talent pools, not named backups. This could look like:

• "Aspiring people leaders"
• "Mission-critical SMEs"
• "Next-Gen Executives"

Aim for 3-5 viable candidates per pool, each at varying readiness levels. This gives leaders options, opens up mentoring and development opportunities, and provides HR/Talent leaders leverage when business priorities change.

Smart Organizations Separate Performance from Potential.

High performers ≠ high potential.

Let's say it louder for the leaders in the back.

High performers ≠ high potential.

Organizations that fail to differentiate performance from potential are more likely to be overinvesting in the wrong talent and underpreparing future leaders. This is where small/midsized organizations have an advantage. You likely have a closer eye on your individuals, teams, and talent pools and have a clearer starting point.

Scale it: Conversations and connections matter. Start with:

• A clear scope of your organization's leadership criteria, evolving needs, and highest succession priorities
• Structured talent reviews with stakeholder calibration (yes, calibration...no assumptions, no free passes!)
• Explicit conversations about learning agility, scope, and strategic mindset

...if everyone is a "high potential," no one is.

Smart Organizations Recognize That Development is the Product. Succession is the Outcome.

Succession isn't just about naming a future leader and calling it a day. It's about matching likely candidates with targeted, sometimes uncomfortable development experiences. When companies link formal development with succession strategies, they are more likely to fill key leadership roles internally, helping preserve employee engagement, retention, and culture.

Scale it: For each succession pool, co-create a targeted development plan that includes:

• Participation in at least one cross-functional, enterprise level project or initiative
• A stretch assignment that has quantitative and qualitative outcomes, and accountability markers (progress milestones, deadlines, etc)
• Regular communication with an executive sponsor who actually knows their name

This requires commitment - time, participation, and support. If development doesn't change someone's calendar, is it really even development?

Smart Organizations Make Succession a Business Conversation...Not an HR Program.

At the organizational level, succession planning shows up in strategy discussions, board agendas, and future readiness conversations.

Not as an HR deliverable.

It's an organizational priority.

Scale it: Reframing your message about succession can be your competitive advantage. Instead of presenting "succession planning," consider using business-driven language like:

• Future readiness
• Bench strength
• Exposure risk

Speaking the same language as your executive team is how you gain - and keep - a seat at the table for strategic business conversations.

Here's the thing...

If you're an aspiring Chief People Officer, here's a quiet truth: succession planning is one of the fastest credibility accelerators in the role.

Anyone can run an engagement survey or present your comp and benefits budget numbers. Not everyone can tell the CEO, "Here's where our biggest people risks lie...and here's how we fix it."

Succession at scale isn't about mimicking what major corporations are doing. It's about building a deep understanding of your people, talent bench, and business priorities, and being intentional, empathetic, and honest in your approach.

And that? That's strategic leadership, regardless of your organization's size.