Using executive education program rosters to identify a succession cohort

Purpose – This paper posits that an organization's roster of managers slated to attend, or who have attended, an executive development program can be used as the starting point for: developing an organizational talent profile, and facilitating the initiation of, or re‐invigoration of, an entity's strategic succession planning process. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is the culmination of over 40 years of working with corporations in the arena of talent development. Findings – A practical, guiding framework for identifying the best candidates for succession planning purposes and tailoring their further professional development agendas is presented and discussed. Practical implications – The approach, framework, and related benefits presented here are immediately and broadly applicable. Originality/value – Readers are provided with a field‐inspired framework for identifying a succession planning managerial cohort and customizing their subsequent professional development endeavors. Moreover, it invites companies to leverage their executive education program rosters as a starting point for identifying the best possible succession planning cohort.