What steps can you take to create an inclusive and diverse succession plan?

Very well said. I have come to notice that policies enacted should contribute to the overall organization culture, and that should be one that promotes inclusivity at every level. This requires continuous effort, open dialogue, and commitment from leadership.

Make sure you compare your own distribution of diversity to that of your context. This is about more than gender, it is also about other aspects of identity such as race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, etc... A good comparison is not your industry, but what the distribution in the general public is. My goal for a succession pipeline would be to have a representative and inclusive pool of talent in it. And if a certain group is over-represented in leadership already I would pay special attention to develop leaders from other identities and backgrounds.

An inclusive and diverse succession plan would be aligned to the role. It should weigh in on critical experiences , skill sets and outcomes that the role holder would need to have. The process must be free of biases and enabled through out the talent pipeline to assess, develop and groom successors.

In creating an inclusive and diverse succession plan we must first be specific with the data points that determain the merritt inwhich promotion is given.define your organization's goals and objectives. What are you trying to achieve through this plan? Are you looking to groom internal talent, enhance diversity at leadership levels, or both? Having a clear understanding of your goals will lay the foundation for the entire succession planning process. Celebrate the unique perspectives diferences in varios aspects of diversity that are represented in the employee pool. Regularly monitor and evaluate the progress of your succession plan. Assess the diversity and inclusivity metrics within the leadership pipeline and make adjustments as needed.

Let's wider what's already written - Ask the questions: 1. What is success No1 for you? -High sale? -High service? -High communication? -High culture? -Something else? 2. What are the skills you need the most in order to serve your "success"? 3. Encourage all the people, first within, and then out of the Company, to share their wishes and suggestions. 4. TALK with the employees (both Director and Janitor). 5. Remember, you are searching for skills, not gender, race, religion... 6. Answer yourself a question if a Janitor had a better life/bussiness idea than a Director and you see it as something good? 7. If you (and key personnel) didn't have a problem with a previous answer, you're ready to move forward. In other words - High culture.

Set up shadowing opportunities for staff to be a part of other roles that they may find an interest or aptitude for. Create a peer buddy system that allows an employee develop needed skills for a higher level role

This cannot be overstated. In this age of generative AI, many view stakeholder engagement as a time killer when email or instant messaging is the primary tool in doing so. Nevertheless, success, for the most part, depends on constructive stakeholder engagement, which requires the human factor.

I have discovered that employee engagement is a key indicator of the health and future success of an organization. When issues such as change initiatives arise, committed employees are more likely to remain with their employers, and contribute to their goals.

Forming a diversity, equity, and inclusion council can strengthen this process further. They can educate leaders and decision-makers about the strengths and competencies that can be found in their research.

Succession planning plays a pivotal role in an organization's future. Failure to recruit a diverse pool of candidates, retain valuable staff, and nurture talent can result in the promotion of individuals who may not align with the organization's values of diversity and inclusion. The fundamental principles are straightforward: hire talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, offer them opportunities and challenges to thrive, and motivate them to seek promotion in preparation for succession. When you prioritize people, value their input and give them opportunities, the results will be incredible.