Most succession planning stalls at naming a candidate. This template goes one layer deeper: it forces you to name the specific knowledge the current role holder carries, whether it's documented anywhere, and what happens to it if the transition happens sooner than planned.
Fill it in for any role where a single person's departure would create real business risk — not just executive positions.
Templates
Role Information
Role/Position
Current holder
Criticality (High/Medium/Low)
Review date
Successor Candidates
Candidate 1 — readiness & development needs
Candidate 2 — readiness & development needs
Candidate 3 — readiness & development needs
Readiness Timeline
Ready now
Ready in 1-2 years
Ready in 3-5 years
Development Plan
Skill gap
Development action
Target date
Knowledge Dependencies
Critical knowledge held by current holder
Documentation status
Transfer plan
Risk Assessment
Departure risk (planned/unplanned)
Business impact if role is vacant
Interim coverage plan
Download as a Word document
Enter your email to download the fillable Word version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any role where an unplanned departure would create a real gap in decision-making, client trust, or execution — not just the CEO or C-suite. In smaller firms, this often includes senior individual contributors with concentrated client relationships.
Document that honestly under Readiness Timeline rather than leaving the field blank. A plan that says 'no internal candidate, external search required within 12 months' is more useful than an empty template.
At least annually, and immediately after any change to the current role holder's plans or the candidates' development. A succession plan that's two years stale is close to worthless.