• A company should have an assessment process to help identify high potential people for its succession plan.

Identifying high potential people requires an assessment process. First, the upper-level positions to be filled must be analyzed to determine what is necessary in terms of knowledge, skills, abilities, traits, experience, education, certifications or professional licensing, and core competencies.

Pool of employees

After this is done, look at the pool of employees and decide who may have the foundation to fill one or more of these positions. Identify what education, experience, and other qualifications an individual has, and what the person is lacking.

Also, determine what an individual’s interests are in terms of future career direction. The person may have a different idea of how to advance in the company. By identifying what position or positions individuals are interested in, the person’s training and development can be geared in that direction if it is consistent with the overall succession plan.