| Phases of Succession Planning | Description of Phases | Relevant Tools |
| Getting Ready | Understand what succession planning is and how it can work for your organization. | - Succession Planning Webinar Series |
| Phase 1: Alignment | Understand the strategic direction of the organization, based on the strategic plan and workforce plan. Conduct SWOT analysis. Determine barriers to success. Determine succession planning goals, keeping them aligned with the strategic and workforce plans. Estimate budget for succession planning strategies. | - Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) Analysis
- Business Case |
| Phase 2: Analysis | Identify bench strength: key positions for succession planning and analyze how well the current talent pool will be able to fill those key positions. Include analysis of engagement, aspiration, and barriers to determine readiness. | - Identification of Key Positions
- Identification of Talent Pool
- Competency Modeling
- USGS Succession Planning Pipeline Assessment Tool
- Succession Profile Worksheet |
| Phase 3: Strategy | Identify succession planning strategies and related metrics that will be used to evaluate the success of the strategies. | - Individual Development Plan
- Knowledge Transfer Questions
- Leadership Development Matrix |
| Phase 4: Implementation | Document and formalize the succession planning phases of Alignment, Analysis, and Strategy into a comprehensive Succession Plan. Manage the implementation of the plan and succession strategies, and communicate those strategies throughout the organization. | - Succession Plan Template
- Communication Tool
- Project Management Plan |
| Phase 5: Evaluation | Determine how well the succession management strategies are filling targeted needs. | - Sample Metrics |
