Governance Resources

Succession Planning

Ensure a Seamless Leadership Transition with Succession Planning

Empty boardroom with large conference table, representing resources for board directors

Home / All Governance Resources / Core Oversight Topics / Succession Planning

Core Oversight Topics / Succession Planning

More…

Governance Overview

Committees & Roles

Core Oversight Topics

Strategic Succession Planning for Boardrooms

Succession planning is a boardroom strategy for transitioning leadership roles and ensuring the organization continues to function well during the change. It offers an opportunity for reinvention and is crucial for long-term stability and safeguarding the future longevity of your organization.

NACD resources provide boardroom tools and templates designed to assist with board succession strategy. Get prepared with best practices and articles providing the information and frameworks necessary to identify future leaders and secure a seamless and successful transition.

How to Close the CEO Succession Readiness Gap

Boards repeatedly overlook internal CEO successors despite evidence they outperform external hires. Here's how directors can strengthen their internal candidate pipelines.

Read Now

Key Resources

Curated insights and guidance on this topic.

Blue Ribbon Commission Report

Culture as the Foundation: Building a High-Performance Board

Leverage the recommendations and succession planning tools to help in strengthening your board's succession planning processes.
Director Essentials

Succession Planning for Board and Committee Leaders

Learn four steps that boards can take to strengthen their leadership succession planning processes and practices.
Future of the American Board

Nominating & Governance Committee Committee Blueprint

Discover strategies for long-term board succession planning success.
WEBINAR

PCGL Series: Effective Board Succession Strategies for Private Companies

Learn about how to prepare the next generation of leaders and ensure board continuity.
Governance Challenges

CEO Succession Planning

Learn best practices for leadership development and CEO succession.
Director's Handbook

Success at the Top: CEO Evaluation and Succession

Discover how the board can fulfill its most important role of evaluating and selecting the company's CEO.

Tools for Success

Practical resources designed to help boards turn insight into action.

Boardroom Tool

Position Descriptions for Board Leadership Sample

These position descriptions outline the key responsibilities and expectations for the board chair and lead independent director roles.
Boardroom Tool

Board Skills Matrix Sample

Identify gaps in the board's composition.
Boardroom Tool

Individual Director Evaluation Sample

Gather feedback on directors' contributions to the board.

Explore More Succession Planning Content

Explore Now

Directorship® Picks

Magazine thought leadership and timely online exclusives to help boards stay ahead.

Online Exclusive

Assessing Future-Ready Leaders: An Interview with Mark McClain

Hear an experienced director’s perspective on why boards must rethink succession planning and leadership evaluation in an era defined by disruption and rapid change.
Online Exclusive

How to Reduce Family Business Generational Transition Failure

There are four key items independent directors should prioritize to support durable, multigenerational family enterprises.
Cover Story

Making CEO Succession Plans Stick

By Mandy Wright

Ease transition planning by enabling CEO success from the outset.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Succession Planning, Emerging Technologies Top of Mind for Public Company Directors, Survey Finds

New survey reveals gaps in CEO succession planning and board-management alignment on technology.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Consider Retirement Provisions to Aid Retention and Succession Planning

Explore equity strategies that align retirement with succession goals.
Directorship Magazine

CEO Succession Planning: Putting the “What” Before the “Who”

Explore whether your CEO succession planning process is keeping pace and evolving to identify the CEO skills, traits, characteristics, and experiences necessary to drive the company’s long-term strategy.