B6: Succession planning
Use when: Someone asks about promotion, or you are building your bench.
The questions
- What kind of growth are you aiming for (scope, role, skills), and what's motivating it now?
- What criteria does this organization use for promotion at that level, and where do you think you are today?
- What would be compelling evidence that you're ready, and what examples can we build over the next 3 to 6 months?
- What stretch assignments or visibility would be the best proving ground for those criteria?
- If the answer is "not yet" or "not now," what would make this feel transparent and fair, and what's our plan from here?
Research basis
Knight 2018; Velasquez 2023; Harrell 2016; CIPD 2026b; Watkins 2013
Get the full field guide
The complete PDF covers 24 situations, 153 questions, and the four listening moves (reflect, summarize, validate, clarify). Download The Questions Leaders Ask field guide.
Workshop
Want your leaders practicing these out loud, with their team in the room? See how Kestryl Edge workshops work.