Succeeding a strong long-standing leader: is there a right approach?

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to cover a subject which the author believes is very topical and of interest to both those in leadership roles and those in the HR profession. Design/methodology/approach – The author shares his experiences on this topic and speaks to others who have found themselves in a situation of succeeding a strong well established leader. Findings – The author's findings clearly show that there is no right or wrong answer to this question. As mentioned in the article there are a number of options to consider and the new leader will have to assess their strategy based on the circumstances in which they find themselves. Originality/value – The article is on a topic which should be of great interest to both those in leadership roles and HR practionners. The theme of succession planning is one which all organisations are highly aware of and if done correctly can be of supreme importance to the on-going performance of any organisation.