Take Responsibility for What Happens Next
The clients who come to me feeling stuck usually aren’t confused about what needs to happen. They know. They’re just waiting. For the right moment to have the hard conversation. For a good time to hand off something important. For someone else to go first.
Emerging leaders do the same. They wait for the title, the authority, or a nod from someone above them. Sometimes a quieter voice whispers: I’m not ready yet.
Here’s what I’ve seen over and over: nobody hands you leadership. You start leading the moment you take responsibility for what happens next. Years ago, I learned an expression from a brilliant advisor that I often share. “We are all leaders; it is how we choose to lead.” That’s also why I keep coming back to succession planning. The two are more closely connected than most people realize.
Succession is a leadership strategy, not just an exit strategy
I’ve long urged business owners not to wait until retirement is in sight. Succession planning isn’t about leaving. It’s about building leaders, and that takes time.
Think about it. Who could make the call if you weren’t in the room? Who knows where the business is headed? Who could manage people, protect client relationships, uphold the culture, and own the results?
In 2001, I experienced this firsthand when my dad collapsed on a Sunday and was admitted to the ICU. I contacted key office colleagues to let them know I might be unavailable for a while. Back then, our cell phones did not yet function as small computers, and we didn’t carry laptops with us. If you wanted to use the phone, you had to go outside for coverage. My only contact with work was making one call per day.
Fortunately, I had a smart, ready-to-lead support team familiar with my clients and responsibilities, so my business kept running smoothly. This wasn't succession planning; it was smart planning and team building that empowered the team to step in and lead at a moment’s notice.
A company that relies on a single person for every important decision may be successful today, but it is vulnerable. Developing the next generation of leaders strengthens the business now and prepares it for the future.
Leaders like that don’t show up on the day you need them. Someone has to spot them, challenge them, mentor them, and give them real opportunities to lead.
That takes effort from both sides.
Current leaders have to stop waiting to develop their successors.
Emerging leaders have to stop waiting for permission to lead.
If you own the business, let go of some decisions. Hand over responsibility that matters, not just tasks. Give people room to build their judgment, which means room to get a few things wrong. A company that runs every important decision through one person may be doing well today, but it’s fragile. Developing new leaders makes it stronger now and better prepared for what’s next.
If you’re the emerging leader, take the initiative no one else has claimed. Have the conversation everyone else is avoiding. When you spot a problem, walk in with a solution, not just the problem.
This is where leadership development and succession planning intersect.
You don’t need to know your exit date to start succession planning. You don’t need a title to lead. Maybe the question isn’t “When will it be my turn?” Maybe it’s “What can I take responsibility for right now?”
Either way, the time to begin is now. Don’t Wait.
Begin nurturing tomorrow’s leaders today, before the need becomes urgent. If you see yourself as a future leader, take the initiative and start leading without waiting for approval.
Contact Slater Success to accelerate your path to top leadership.