Hamlet HR Executive Workshop: Who Steps In? Succession Planning for Growing Companies
Who Steps In? Succession Planning for Growing Companies
If a key leader walked out tomorrow, who would step in?
For most growing companies, the honest answer is nobody. In a business of 20 to 100 people, there are usually four or five seats the whole operation runs through: finance, operations, sales, HR. When I map succession with CEOs, those seats almost always come back red. No one ready now. No one ready in three years. And the default plan, “we’ll just hire someone,” means handing one of the most critical roles in your business to a stranger, on a timeline you didn’t choose.
In this working session, I’ll walk you through the two tools I use with leadership teams: the 9-box talent matrix, which shows who’s ready, who’s stuck, and which high performers are quietly at risk of leaving; and the succession depth chart, which shows role by role how deep your bench really is. You’ll leave with both templates, ready to run against your own team before you lock in your 2027 goals.
Who this is for
This session is for CEOs, founders and senior finance leaders. It isn’t an HR session. If you think you’re too small for succession planning, you’re the reason this session exists: with fewer than 50 people, one departure can leave you no choice but to hire from outside.
What to expect
The framework, two practical templates, and time to map your own bench.
Joined us for an earlier session?
We’ve covered getting new hires up to speed and why good people leave. This session asks the next question: when a key person does leave, is anyone ready to take their place?
This is part of the Hamlet HR Executive Workshop Series, a monthly series of focused, problem-specific sessions for executives. Each one tackles a single challenge and leaves you with something you can put to work that week.
Hamlet HR takes companies from status quo to status grow.
— Stephen Hamlet, Chief HR Officer, President & Principal Advisor, Hamlet HR
Workshop Details:
• Format: Hands-on, interactive session
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Outcome: A clear picture of your bench and a plan for 2027
Seats are limited to ensure quality discussion.