Revolutionising succession planning with skills: equity, belonging, and talent expansion

Succession planning has long been an antiquated practice. Traditionally, it’s about picking a few high performers, giving them a little extra visibility, and hoping they’ll be ready when the time comes. But what if we told you that this limited approach is leaving untapped talent on the table—people who have the skills but are overlooked due to biases, outdated models, or a narrow view of potential?

Enter skills-based succession planning. By focusing on the skills employees have and can develop—rather than just tenure or job titles—we can break down these traditional barriers. When organisations build succession plans around competencies and capabilities, they open up the talent pool. Every employee with the right skills is a potential leader, regardless of their background or current position.

This approach not only leads to a more equitable process but also fosters belonging. It sends a powerful message: your growth and future in the organisation isn’t defined by how long you’ve been here, but by your potential, skills, and the contributions you can make. It encourages continuous learning, growth, and progression, empowering employees to see that their development matters.

To make this vision a reality, we need to gather and analyse skill data at scale. This isn’t a one-off exercise; it’s about creating a data-driven culture where skill information is continuously updated, validated, and made actionable. We leverage advanced tools and platforms that pull in data from across the business—be it through learning systems, performance metrics, or employee feedback—to create a dynamic, real-time picture of the capabilities within the organisation.

Once the data is collected, we analyse it to identify which skills are most aligned with organisational goals and where the gaps lie. This isn’t just about finding deficits but also identifying hidden potential—people who may not yet hold formal leadership roles but have the skills to step up when needed. With the right analysis, we can refine learning and development programmes, accelerating the closure of skill gaps to ensure that the most suitable candidates are always in the pipeline.

Transparency is a core part of this process. Employees should have a clear view of what skills are in demand, where they stand, and what development opportunities are available. This creates a sense of fairness and ownership, encouraging longer tenure as employees understand their growth path and see real, actionable steps to progress within the organisation. Succession planning becomes clear, structured, and based on merit, not favouritism or outdated models.

With this approach, succession planning becomes a living, breathing process, not a static event that happens only when a role needs to be filled. It ensures that better-suited candidates are identified early, and development plans are aligned to make them ready, which leads to stronger leadership and more engaged employees. And because employees see the pathway to advancement based on skills, their commitment and longevity with the company are strengthened.