9/04/2009

Myth 209 - Fiction of succession planning

We are renowned for our ability to plan a head. And corporate succession planning must be a piece of cake. Failure to work out such a simple plan will be sorely felt and seen as simply incompetent. Or is there a better expression, inability to plan, forget to plan, dunno how to plan, or simply no time to plan, but pretend that it was all planned? We have seen many several CEOs departing and then we hear a big announcement, the organisation is searching around the globe for a successor. And the process will take another few months or years. What is succession planning? Didn't the CEO has someone standing by that can take over should he gone missing? Or our organisations are so dearth of CEO potential that whenever a CEO departs, someone outside must be brought in? This has been the case, it seems. All the bullshitting about succession planning are now laid bare for all to see. There is no succession planning, or there is no one within the organisation that is fit to succeed the CEO. What a pathetic state of affair!

10 comments:

  1. In the Singapore context, IMO, all the so called CEOs are only ceremonial figureheads. The organisation won't run without the top echelon and middle management which are mostly Singaporeans and handpicked. That's why succession planning for the so called top dog is not carried out with more gusto and appears lackadaisical.

    We are a "planned" country. It's not only the blind who cannot see.

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  2. Succession Planning is always done in the way they were practised so that the Incumbent will perpetually not be replaced.

    patriot

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  3. the best succession plan can be found in PAP. the PM has 2 dep PMs to succeed him. and if they can't for whatever strange reasons, there is a backup plan and either of his predecessors could be returned to warm the seat till the next one is ready. no need to go scurrying around the world for a suitable candidate.

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  4. There you go again Redbean, pouring cold water on our so-called "first world system of governance". You pick holes in everything and you go all out to be anti-system. Do you not realise that we have the best system and no one should question the whatevr that our "perfect" government dish out to us. No one should even question the system, or, should we????

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  5. thanks for the reminder anonymous. i err. i shouldn't criticise the perfect system. thank you once again.

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  6. Is "succession planning" allowed by the constitution? I think not.

    The way for the people to reclaim their country from the state, is to FORCE their govt to adhere to the constitution.

    Otherwise the republic becomes an imperial dynasty.

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  7. P.S. ... not that an imperial dynasty is necessarily "bad" -- perhaps the people actually want it that way.

    But I'm just saying -- S'poreans need to sit down and think carefully what kind of nation-state and govt they want. In any case, the people get the govt they deserve.

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  8. true, kingship, dynasty, capitalism, communism, democracy etc are not bad per se. what is important is the end result and what kind of result the practitioners dictate.

    now, why are communists painted like devils in democracies? communism is derived from christianity. the christians lived in communes, like communists in the time of christ.

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  9. The world is full of different individuals with different opinions:

    "Capitalism is evil"

    "Liberals are neurotic"

    "Communism is the future"

    "Socialism is compassion"

    "Free markets are just"

    "Free markets are unjust"

    ... but at the end of the day it is not a question of ideology, and actually "ideology" can only go so far, as it is essentially a form of 'popular opinion' (for specific 'groups'); opinion which is usually unexamined and accepted without a fuss by those who find it agreeable.

    Thus the political truth which is always unswerving is: The People Get The Government They Deserve

    If they are 'deserve' communism, they will get it. If they deserve freedom and laissez faire, they will get it. If they get a brutal monster, they also deserve it.

    I always hope that the people make disastrous choices which lead to spectacular failure.

    Peaceful and wealthy societies are uninteresting. However when I see footage of screaming people, murdering govt troops, treason, corruption, intrigue and there is blood in the streets, widespread destruction... that to me is more interesting and entertaining than clean streets, skyscrapers and a chattering class already wealthy but still complaining about life.

    When S'pore eventually collapses as I've been predicting (for many years now) it will be my dose of "entertainment" watched from afar in safely distant country.

    I hope you fuckers scream and put on a good show for my sake.

    Thanks.

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  10. When management is engaged in succession planning, an org chart can be very useful for highlighting and selecting suitable successors for upper management positions. Most positions require special skill sets and qualifications in order for the company to continue and transition smoothly with the successor in place. An org chart can include relevant skills, anticipated retirement dates and other pertinent information useful during succession planning. If an unexpected vacancy occurs, having a considered succession plan within the org chart can minimize the disruption on the organization.

    There is an automated solution for succession planning:

    http://www.orgplus.com/solutions/orgplus-for-succession-planning.htm

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