Succession planning is always important for organizations. However, planning for C-Suite transitions is critical. In smaller, privately-held organizations, transitions to second generation leaders have a whopping 60% failure rate. Transitions to third generation leaders fail nearly 90% of the time. In larger organizations, C-Suite transitions typically lead to sustained performance, or performance decline. Organizations that have ongoing success are methodical about selecting and preparing C-level successors.

1. C-Suite Succession Planning—This
is as Important as it Gets!
Jim Bitterle Jen Giannosa
With: With:
TO USE YOUR COMPUTER'S AUDIO:
When the webinar begins, you will be connected to audio
using your computer's microphone and speakers (VoIP). A
headset is recommended.
Webinar will begin:
9:30 am, PDT
TO USE YOUR TELEPHONE:
If you prefer to use your phone, you must select "Use
Telephone" after joining the webinar and call in using the
numbers below.
United States: +1 (213) 929-4232
Access Code: 386-024-246
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the webinar
--OR--
Navigating the Employee Lifecycle
Webinar Series

2. Paycor’s Human Capital Management (HCM) platform
modernizes every aspect of people management, from the way
you recruit, onboard and develop people, to the way you pay and
retain them. But what really sets us apart is our focus on
business leaders.
For 30 years, we’ve been listening to and partnering with leaders,
so we know what they need: HR technology that saves time,
powerful analytics that provide actionable insights and dedicated
support from HR experts. That’s why more than 30,000 medium
& small businesses trust Paycor to help them solve problems and
achieve their goals.
Visit Paycor.com to learn more.
Paycor creates HR software for
leaders who want to make a
difference.

3. Click on the Questions panel to
interact with the presenters
https://www.recruitingbrief.com/webinar-series/navigating-the-employee-lifecycle
https://www.humanresourcestoday.com/webinar-series/10700/navigating-the-employee-lifecycle
https://www.hrtechcentral.com/webinar-series/10700/navigating-the-employee-lifecycle

4. About Jim Bitterle
Jim Bitterle, Managing Partner, Author, joined EDSI in 2008 to lead its management consulting division.
He has 34 years of corporate leadership and management consulting experience.
Today, Jim is responsible for EDSI’s national consulting operations. He is currently spearheading
EDSI’s efforts to help clients optimize their organizations to support growth, diversification, and cultural
improvement.Jim is also a seasoned trainer and speaker. Prior to his consulting career, Jim spent 11
years as an executive with profit and loss responsibility leading both domestic and international
business units for multi-national corporations such as Flint Ink and Gibson Musical Instruments. Jim
holds his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and an MBA from the Kellogg School at
Northwestern University.
About Jen Giannosa
Jen Giannosa, Senior Consultant, joined EDSI in 2012. She oversees the creation and implementation of
various training and development programs. The programs are utilized by senior management for skill and
business process improvement. Her projects help businesses achieve KPIs such as profitability and on-
time delivery. Jen has led both internal and external training initiatives involving training needs analysis,
design and implementation. She has also led value stream mapping sessions and presented at HR-related
conferences on the topic of talent strategy. Jen is a certified Strategic Workforce Planner by the Human
Capital Institute (HCI).
Navigating the Employee Lifecycle
Webinar Series

5. 5
We Practice What We Preach

6. Agenda
Talent Environment
Why C-Suite Succession
Planning is Critical
Key Process Steps
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Gaining Buy-In

7. Today's Talent
Environment
Pre- and Post-
COVID-19

8. 8
Pre-COVID-19
Talent
Environment
It stopped being an 'Employer's
market'

9. 9
Workplace
dynamics
became
more
complex

10. 10
Baby Boomers
Retiring in Droves
4,000,000+

11. 11
Post COVID-19 Talent Environment

12. 12

13. 13
Even more
Boomers entering
retirement.
• Employers offering
incentives for early
retirement
• Baby boomers in labor
market have officially
'retired'

14. 14
Leaning more on
Technology
• Agile Assessment Solutions
• Remote Hiring
• Digital Onboarding
• Virtual Meetings

15. Why C-Suite
Succession
Planning is
Critical

16. 16
What do they leave
with?
Customer, vendor and employee relationships

17. 17
Skills
• Developing and
communicating company vision and
culture
• Managing business crises
• Strategic planning
• Motivational skills

18. 18
Competitive
knowledge

19. 19
Institutional knowledge

20. 20
Types of
Succession
Planning
Defined Departure
Emergency or Interim
Ongoing Succession Planning

21. 21
What they all have in common...
Leadership Development Knowledge Managment

22. 22
Defined departure and emergency or interim
succession planning:
Focus is on a handful of mission critical individuals

23. 23
Why?

24. 24
Why?
90% of third generation leaders fail

25. Key Process
Steps

26. 26
Step 1: Identify Critical Positions
Position Retirement Risk Factor Position Criticality
Total Score (Multiply
Previous Two Columns)
CEO 2 5 10
COO 5 4 20
CFO 4 4 16

27. 27
Step 2:
Develop
Success
Profiles

28. 28
Step 3: Assess
Successors
Against Success
Profiles

29. 29
Step 4:
Create
Development
Plans

30. 30
Step 5: Identify
Knowledge Loss
Risks and
Priorities
Retirement risk factor x
position criticality = Total
knowledge loss risk

31. 31
Step 6:
Capture at
Risk
Knowledge

32. 32
Step 7: Create Master
Implementation Plan
• What critical positions do I need to hire
for?
• Which employees moving into new
positions need training and development
plans?
• What critical at-risk knowledge needs to be
captured?

33. Common
Mistakes to
Avoid

34. 34
Mistake #1 – No Clear Leader

35. 35
Mistake #1
Recommendations
• 1)Pick one leader!
• 2)Make sure roles and
responsibilities are clear
• 3)Ensure one person has the
authority to make key
decisions
• 4)Non-employee family
members should not be
entitled to earnings or
decision making

36. 36
Typical Mistake #2 –
Successor Not Prepared to
Lead

37. 37
Mistake #2
Recommendations
• Make sure the successor is
committed to the future role
• Assess skills, knowledge and
behaviors long-before the transition
• Capture and document institutional
knowledge
• Create a career path
• Create and implement a
development plan

38. 38
Typical Mistake #3 –
Successor Treated
Differently/Not
Respected

39. 39
Mistake #3
Recommendations
• Don’t show blatant favoritism
• Make sure successor leads by example
• Ensure successor understands how to support the
team

40. 40
Typical Mistake #4 –
Lack of Clear Rules

41. 41
Mistake #4
Recommendations
• Don’t show blatant favoritism!
• Don’t allow non-performance
• Address:
• Work hours
• Expense reporting
• Acceptable behaviors
• Unacceptable behaviors
• Reasons for terminations
• Decision making
• Vacation & sick time
• Etc.

42. 42
Typical Mistake #5
Address Poisonous Divides and Cultural
Misfits

43. 43
Mistake #5 Recommendations
• 1. Don’t hire troublemakers or those with relationship issues.
• 2. Fix issues quickly. Don’t let them fester.
• 3. If poisonous relationships exist, and cannot be remediated, one or both family members must
exit the business!
• 4. Be careful with high performers that are cultural misfits.

44. The Importance of
Gaining Buy-in

45. Q&A
Jen Giannosa
With: With:
Managing Partner, EDSI Solutions
Linkedin page: /in/jim-bitterle-368341/
Website: edsisolutions.org
Jim Bitterle
Senior Consultant, EDSI Solutions
Linkedin page: /in/jennifer-giannosa/
Twitter ID: @JLGiannosa
Website: edsisolutions.com
https://www.recruitingbrief.com/webinar-series/navigating-the-employee-lifecycle
https://www.humanresourcestoday.com/webinar-series/10700/navigating-the-employee-lifecycle
https://www.hrtechcentral.com/webinar-series/10700/navigating-the-employee-lifecycle