Viewed in Egon Zehnder
Executive succession is no longer an occasional governance exercise. With executives staying in role for roughly three years on average and CEO turnover accelerating, leadership teams are in constant evolution.
In this context, a simple but often overlooked reality emerges: succession works best when it is treated as a continuous, human-centered process, not a discreet event.
Silence creates friction
From the perspective of senior executives, uncertainty is the real risk. When potential successors receive no signals, no context, or inconsistent feedback, energy drains from the leadership team. High performers begin to question their future, divide their focus, or quietly explore external options. Conversely, discovering too late, or unexpectedly, that one is “in contention” can feel disempowering if aspirations, readiness, and timing have never been discussed. In both cases, silence creates friction.
Fiduciary responsability
For boards, succession is a fiduciary responsibility. For sitting CEOs, it is an act of stewardship. The tone set by the incumbent CEO through openness, consistency, and intent, largely determines whether succession strengthens or destabilizes the organization. Avoidance, overprotection of talent, or delayed conversations often narrow the pipeline rather than preserving stability.
Structured transparency
What works better is neither a “horse race” nor secrecy, but structured transparency. Regular, respectful conversations among the Chair or Lead Independent Director, the CEO, the CHRO, and senior leaders help align expectations, clarify readiness criteria, and reduce unnecessary anxiety. Development then becomes deliberate: targeted role rotations, exposure to the board, opportunities to operate under pressure, and constructive feedback over time.
Ambition, maturity and current role
For CEOs, a few practical actions make a difference: normalize succession discussions early, sponsor multiple leaders, allow optionality, and separate personal timing from organizational continuity. For candidates, the most effective posture combines ambition with maturity, seeking feedback, expressing aspirations clearly, investing in development, and staying focused on impact in the current role.
Clarity, humility and consistency
Handled with clarity, humility, and consistency, succession planning becomes a stabilizing force. It strengthens the leadership bench, preserves momentum through transitions, and ultimately reinforces both organizational resilience and the CEO’s legacy.
Special thanks to Megan Trice (Minneapolis), Friedrich Kuhn (Berlin), and Frank Heckner (Basel) for their thoughtful and insightful article on leadership succession and development.
