Succession: Planning Tips (not from the HBO series)

Succession Planning is important but not the Plan

Succession planning is one of the most important challenges organizations face but can be the least straightforward on how to effectively plan for it based on constantly moving targets. There is a plethora of different scenarios that impact how a company plans for succession. Some common examples include promotions of high performers to varying levels, identification of leaders who are approaching retirement, or even advance preparation for replacing key executives due to outside circumstances.  Or maybe a colleague decided to start their own company, and the natural successor is going with them? Suddenly, instead of a year to think through a transition, you have a fraction of that time. Each situation has its own nuances and requires a specific approach for a successful and smooth transition.


Key Factors in Succession Planning

Succession planning requires, well, a lot of planning. While some believe only CEOs and Board Members need to prepare for succession, most organizations require managers to identify and develop team members as future leaders for a smooth transition. What we all know about succession planning is that it is fluid and will constantly change. With this understanding, rather than trying to solve all the details of a succession plan, consider adopting two main practices as you go through the initial planning process and future updates to the plan.

 

  1. Understand Your Timeline: This phase represents a crucial aspect of the succession planning process, as it addresses a key question: when will an individual be deemed prepared or invited to advance within the organizational hierarchy? Furthermore, it necessitates consideration of the broader ramifications resulting from the promotion's cascading effect on other individuals and functional areas. In such instances, the implementation of strategies becomes indispensable to effectively navigate both predictable and unpredictable timelines. 
  2. Embrace Flexibility: As we all know, change is the only constant in business and life. It's often evident that as people continue to grow and develop, their roles and responsibilities evolve over time as well. As a result, replacing tenured individuals can prove to be an incredibly challenging endeavor. It’s imperative to contemplate redefining certain roles and exploring short-term compensation solutions. Embracing flexibility both within the organizational chart and the scope of responsibilities can set you up for an effective leadership transition.


Once you have a comprehensive understanding of your designated timeline and have meticulously analyzed the areas of the role that possess potential adaptability, you are now ready to develop your strategy for succession.


Identifying and Developing Succession Candidates

The timeline sets the structure of a successful leadership transition strategy.  The three timeframes are short-term (between 6-12 months), mid-range (1-2 years), and an unknown timeline. Depending on the scenario you are dealing with, your prospective candidate pool and the skillsets you require for eligibility will vary.

 Identifying and Developing Succession Candidates

The timeline sets the structure of a successful leadership transition strategy. The three timeframes are short-term (between 6-12 months), mid-range (1-2 years), and an unknown timeline. Depending on the scenario you are dealing with, your prospective candidate pool and the skillsets you require for eligibility will vary.


Short-Term Succession Timeline

Picture this: You're a director at a mid-size company, and the CEO just gave you the great news that you've been identified as a successor for a VP role in another area of the business. The catch: you are responsible for your replacement, but your transition into the VP role won’t occur for another 9 months. 


To address this situation, companies often adopt a flexible approach toward title and compensation in the short term to ensure the acquisition of a suitable successor. 


Back to the example - If there’s no obvious internal successor, you’ll probably need to conduct an external search where the candidate would be ready for the Director from Day 1, despite having nine months left in the seat. If you hire a Manager under your Director title, there’s a risk they might not be prepared for the Director role in the given time-period or view the move as purely lateral. However, you don’t have the budget to bring on another Director level compensation to your team and anything less will probably not be sufficient to attract a candidate from a similar position. To fill the position for today (and more importantly for succession), the following measures can be implemented:

  • Be open about the promotion timeline during the recruitment process so lateral hires understand the true hiring goal.
  • On their first day, consider reallocating a portion of the organizational chart to them to avoid underutilization. Additionally, assign them important projects as individual contributors that you have been unable to complete due to time constraints. Create a business case to bring the candidate over with a Director title, along with the commensurate compensation level. Even though you may not have initially planned the budget for this, the incremental compensation would only be for a short-term period and would help you place a high-caliber leader in the position immediately.


Mid-Range Succession Timeline

Okay, so you have some time to plan. 


Within a timeline ranging from 1 to 2 years, you can strategize for upcoming successions in a more gradual and organic manner. During this timeframe, it’s crucial to allocate sufficient time for introspection and delve into thoughtful contemplation about your existing team. By asking probing questions, you can effectively identify key contributors who possess the potential to become ideal successors. Some questions you can ask include: How is the team performing under the current leadership? Where do they excel? Where is there room for improvement? Who takes the initiative to solve problems, and who asks insightful questions? When considering an ideal successor, what qualities or key attributes should they possess? 


There are certain specific characteristics to seek in individuals when assessing your team for potential leadership roles. As stated in a Harvard Business Review article focusing on leadership development, the presence of four essential qualities—curiosity, insight, engagement, and determination—indicates the potential for leadership. Individuals exhibiting these traits can be nurtured for senior positions through suitable coaching and support.


To ensure effective succession planning during recruitment:


  • Avoid over-committing in the recruiting process. While discussing potential succession can be appealing to candidates, refrain from making promises or hiring individuals who may feel discontented if they are not promoted soon after joining if an opportunity arises.
  • Clearly communicate the timeline to prevent overselling future opportunities.
  • Ensure you hire candidates at an appropriate level that aligns with their potential for upper leadership roles.
  • Manage the corporate hierarchy carefully. Hiring multiple directors reporting to the same person can create competition and potential discontent. Instead, hire individuals at various levels, with differing role scopes and salary grades, to prevent bottlenecks and foster a broader talent pool. 


The Mystery Timeline

Consider this scenario: your company’s CFO is probably going to retire in the next few years, but it has never been announced. As of right now, there isn’t an obvious internal successor for the CFO position. How do you recruit an external candidate to join your company with succession as a main objective when you can’t commit to a timeline for them? 


There are several challenges in this situation. You need a candidate who is ready now for the CFO role (the retirement announcement could be any day!). You are likely asking them to take a temporary demotion in title or leave their current organization where the timing of their next promotion could be well known. Why would a candidate be interested? 


A better question to ask: How do you find the candidates who will be interested? Look for CFOs who are coming from: 

  • A smaller or less complex organization than yours, but they are ready for the next level of challenge.
  • A larger organization where there is a bottleneck for moving to the next level and your organization provides a clearer path to promotion.


In some cases, the wise move might be to act on the succession plan sooner rather than later. Rather than having the incumbent retire from the company ahead of their own timeline, have them take on another role that is valuable to the company but provides you the opportunity to promote a quality team member internally. This solution retains your talent pipeline, shows your organization that you want to hire from within, and provides a smoother transition because the outgoing CFO is still in the company to provide guidance based on expertise and institutional knowledge.


Flexibility Is the Key

Whether it’s flexibility with your timeline, the willingness to remain open-minded about the org chart, scope of responsibility, or compensation, the ability to pivot quickly when succession is at stake is an asset. For example, if your company has a “unicorn” CFO (they have taken on additional responsibility that is unique to their interests and skillsets but wouldn’t normally be found in another CFO candidate), it may be extremely difficult to find someone who has direct experience fulfilling all the roles your tenured executive does. Adjusting the scope of responsibilities for the new CFO to be closer to the typical functional role is a great way to increase your flexibility and help speed up your hiring process for succession. 


Instead of expending valuable time and resources trying to find another needle in the haystack executive, focus on hiring someone who can do 80% of the responsibilities and spread the other 20% to people already in place who have the proper skillsets. 


Succession planning is a complex topic without a strict roadmap. However, it should be a consideration whenever you recruit and hire for your company. Each new manager, director, or executive should be evaluated as a potential candidate for upward mobility within your organization. Having individuals on the team with the potential for advancement is advantageous for everyone. They can learn directly from senior leadership and potentially take over their roles in the future. This ensures that if a sudden need for succession arises, there are already knowledgeable individuals in the pipeline. Proactive planning can help you avoid the consequences of a last-minute hire or promotion that proves to be unsuccessful. Even if you have six months to work toward a succession transition instead of a year or two, embracing flexibility and knowing what to look for will ultimately set you up for success as you look to find a new leader. 

New Opportunity: Vice President, Aftermarket

By Catherine Landgraf • June 11, 2025
Vice President, Aftermarket ABOUT THE COMPANY Dover’s Vehicle Service Group is the global leader in designing and manufacturing vehicle service, collision and automotive OEM equipment. It is one of the founding companies of Dover Corporation, an eight billion dollar diversified global manufacturer. VSG consists of fifteen leading vehicle lifting brands (Rotary, Forward, Blitz, Ravaglioli, etc.), collision repair (Chief), wheel services, diagnostics (Butler, Rotary, Chief and Ravaglioli) and tier-one automotive brands (WARN Automotive) with operations worldwide, including regional business operation centers and large manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia. ABOUT THE ROLE Responsible for developing and executing the VSG Parts and Service business strategy in the Americas. This is a critical leadership role that requires strategic thinking, operational excellence, and the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams to achieve Aftermarket objectives while exceeding customer expectations. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Develop and implement a Parts and Service strategy to increase market share and add growth opportunities by leveraging complimentary products to the existing offering’s portfolio. Create a marketing strategy for recommending parts and services to existing customers and an outlet to attract new conquest customers using the Parts and Service area of the business. Partner with internal Supply Chain teams to develop an inventory stocking and replenishment model to ensure business success. Partner with dealers to develop a shared inventory and consumption model with clear visibility of parts supply in addition to developing incentives to drive the right behaviors. Stay current with industry and market trends and apply learnings to the VSG Aftermarket strategy. Create detailed budgets and forecasts, including annual sales and profitability targets to meet business and company financial and growth goals. Track and report internal progress to targets, utilizing technology and automation to reduce errors and administrative burden. Direct and coordinate activities relating to part quotations, including ensuring e-commerce ease of use. Developing innovative techniques for recommending parts and services to customers that generate incremental sales. Appraise existing offerings compared to competitors in terms of price, specifications, and delivery model and recommending changes in sales techniques, process design, or other procedures as necessary to achieve goals. Communicate regularly with internal functional teams including Operations, Service, Training, and Sales to effectively manage and grow and develop the parts and service processes. Motivate and inspire a team to achieve company goals and foster an environment of personal development and leadership growth opportunities. CRITICAL SHORT-TERM OBJECTIVES Develop and implement the Aftermarket structure and business strategy that: Expand parts and service market share. Improve supplier and customer network capabilities. Create higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Generate growth and expansion of the business into a new segment. Access and align internal resources needed to execute the enhanced Aftermarket business strategy. OVERALL QUALIFICATIONS – Skills and Experience Deep understanding of Parts and Service market in the Americas. Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience with parts and service delivery models. Proven track record of successfully transforming parts and service organizations to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes and implement effective corrective actions. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences. Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities within all levels of the organization. KEY DOVER COMPETENCIES Customer Impact : Creates value for customers addressing known and unknown needs. Knows and understands all aspects of the global market, including: economics (regulatory issues, corporate compliance, etc.), products and services, channels, the customers and their end-markets. Strategic Mindset : Has understanding of global industry or market; creates breakthrough strategies that alter the competitive dynamics in a market, and establishes a series of competitive advantages yielding profitability that exceeds expectations for the organization. Results Driven : Produces results that exceed Dover’s strategic objectives via a combination of planning and implementation, while living the Dover Values. Strong Business Acumen and Sound Judgment : Uses instinct as well as data to accurately assess business situations and industry trends; makes timely, appropriate decisions and implements appropriate plans while living the Dover Values. Winning the Right Way : Operates with High Ethical Standards, Openness and Trust. Conducts him/herself with high ethical standards and fosters a culture in the organization to conduct business aligned with those standards. Builds and Manages Collaborative Relationships : Establishes and nurtures numerous relationships within Dover. Takes action to partner with the communities in which we operate and to be an appropriate corporate citizen. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been engaged by VSG to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .

New Opportunity: Vice President of Sales & Marketing

By Greg Togni • June 10, 2025
Vice President of Sales & Marketing ABOUT THE COMPANY Dover’s Vehicle Service Group (VSG), is the global leader in designing and manufacturing vehicle service, collision and automotive OEM equipment. It is one of the founding companies of Dover Corporation, an eight billion dollar diversified global manufacturer. VSG consists of fifteen leading vehicle lifting brands (Rotary, Forward, Blitz, Ravaglioli etc.), collision repair (Chief), wheel services, diagnostics (Butler, Rotary, Chief and Ravaglioli) and tier-one automotive brands (WARN Automotive) with operations worldwide, including regional business operation centers and large manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia. ABOUT THE POSITION Reporting to the Vice President (VP) & General Manager, VSG NSA , the Vice President (VP) of Sales and Marketing will lead the strategy, development, and execution of all sales and marketing initiatives to drive profitable revenue growth, market share, and brand visibility for VSG, NSA. This position will build, mentor, and manage high-performing teams while working cross-functionally to align business goals and customer needs. The VP will play a key role in shaping the company’s growth strategy and ensuring its leadership position in the market. RESPONSIBILITIES : Sales: Develop plans and strategies for achieving the company’s sales goals. Own the Annual Sales Plan and three-year strategy for driving growth in core business, identified adjacencies, and initiatives. Define sales processes, systems, and infrastructure that drive desired sales outcomes, identify improvements, and provide detailed and accurate sales forecasting. Create a culture of success and ongoing business and goal achievement. Become known as an employer of choice and a customer-facing team that top sales and customer service professionals want to join. Manage customer expectations and serve as the chief customer advocate within the business. Manage key customer relationships and participate in closing strategic opportunities. Travel for in-person meetings with customers and channel partners to foster key relationships. Drive product / services roadmap and definitions with Product Management including corresponding business models and pricing backed by marketplace analysis of customer requirements and competitive offerings/positions. Identify product gaps and improvement opportunities to provide superior, customer focused products. Collaborate with Product Management and cross functional teams to realize products in a cost effective, timely manner. Pursue alternative sales channels and customer segments to expand and leverage penetration of product offerings. Develop sales tools and sales management approaches to maximize effectiveness of direct sales and channel sales forces. Pursue sales force automation (leverage CRM solution) for all field sales personnel to streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve communication. Marketing: Assist in transitioning an internally focused business with strong Brand and Product reputation to that of a customer centric organization focused on delivering broader service and experiences customers will pay for. Develop and lead Voice of the Customer programs and insights, managing and scaling our support teams, and working closely with Product Management, Engineering, Sales, IT, Dover Central functions, and management to continuously improve the customer experience Establish KPIs to measure achievement of objectives across the organization, especially in activation, qualified leads, conversion, NPS and end customer satisfaction. Ensure marketing effectiveness, customer engagement, and conversion. Manage monthly review of promotions, product launches, trade shows, catalog, and digital activation with respective commercial and product leaders. Maintain 18 month rolling view, ensure spend aligns to budget, and track spend to results. Partner with Corp Marketing function to ensure consistent marketing across global Brands, and aligned internal and external communications. CRITICAL OBJECTIVES NEXT 2-3 YEARS Develop and execute VSG’s long-term Sales, Channel, and Customer strategy. Consider existing and new product portfolio, regions, channels within core and non-core business. Evaluate core Sales and Marketing organizations to drive sales and streamline responsibility for VSG team, Partners, and National Rep agencies. Make recommendations and implement a new organization, key talent, and investments. Optimize customer and partner focus to drive growth through most valuable and growable customers. Ensure highly professional account-based sales planning/management occurs with all top customers (weekly, monthly, quarterly). Put in place a predictable sales planning and execution tool that supports business planning and SIOP. Ensure clear metrics and tools are utilized to provide stakeholder clarity. OVERALL QUALIFICATIONS – Skills and Experience Master’s degree in applicable field of study Minimum 10 years experience in related roles supporting premium brands Self-motivated work ethic with a strong sense of urgency Demonstrated transformational leadership experience Extensive experience with leading successful sales and marketing teams Confident presentation and public speaking skills Excellent verbal and written communication skills Ability to build positive relationships at all levels of the organization Strong business acumen; strategic and analytic thinker Ability and willingness to travel KEY DOVER COMPETENCIES: Builds and Manages Collaborative Relationships: Establishes and nurtures numerous relationships within VSG and Dover. Takes action to partner with the communities in which we operate and to be an appropriate corporate citizen. Change Leadership: Aligns an organization and its people to drive for improvement and adopt new, challenging directions. Energizes a whole organization to want to change in the same direction. Influences others in a mature and empowering manner. Motivates and Inspires: Creates an environment that stimulates others to follow. Builds teams that fully use individuals’ capabilities, creating results beyond just the sum of the parts. Self-Awareness and Personal Development: Role models a personal leadership style that includes self-awareness; accepts feedback, understands and maximizes strengths while working to overcome weaknesses. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been engaged by VSG to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .

Don’t Get Duped – 5 Red Flags of a Professionally Written Resume

By Greg Togni • June 6, 2025
At 180one, we see A LOT of resumes. Some look like they were typed on a Brother Word Processor 30 years ago, some are 6 pages long, 2 pages long, some have different fonts and sizes of fonts throughout, and then there are third party professionally written resumes - easy to spot, hard to comprehend, and make the reader ask the question – if the candidate can’t write their own resume, what else can’t they do that they said they’ve done? In the high-stakes world of job hunting, a well-polished resume is believed to be the gateway to securing an interview. As a result, many job seekers turn to professional resume writers to boost their chances. While this can be helpful, it can also create inconsistencies and red flags that hiring managers and recruiters quickly learn to recognize. If you're on the hiring side or the job seeking side, here are 5 factors to consider when reviewing or submitting a professionally written resume. 1. Overly Polished or “Corporate” Language One of the most obvious signs is language that sounds more like a press release than a personal statement. Phrases like “forward-thinking professional with a proven track record of leveraging synergistic strategies” may impress at first glance—but they often signal a generic, massaged resume. Why it’s a red flag: Recruiters are increasingly wary of “buzzword bingo.” In fact, a 2022 study by Cultivated Culture found that over 50% of resumes included vague jargon or fluff that made it difficult to identify actual achievements. Many professionally written resumes are filled with generic buzzwords like "results-driven," "synergy," and "dynamic leader." While these terms may sound impressive, they often lack substance and fail to convey meaningful information about a candidate's actual skills or achievements. According to a study by Cultivated Culture, 51% of resumes included fluffy buzzwords, clichés, or the incorrect use of pronouns, which can turn off potential recruiters. 2. Mismatch Between Resume and LinkedIn Profile Professionally written resumes often use a distinct tone, layout, and terminology. If a candidate’s LinkedIn profile is far less polished or completely different in format and language, it could indicate the resume was outsourced. Why it’s a red flag: Consistency matters. Hiring managers want to see that a candidate has a clear sense of their professional identity. Discrepancies raise questions about authenticity. 3. Inability to Explain Resume Content in Interviews When a resume is written by someone else, candidates often struggle to elaborate on the content. They might stumble over project details, metrics, or use terminology incorrectly. And sometimes, the candidate just comes right out and say that they had someone else write it for them – which then opens up a bunch of assumptions of the candidate. Why it’s a red flag: You can’t trust a resume at face value if the candidate can’t speak to it with confidence and clarity. It shows that they lack ownership of their work product (or the work product of someone who they hired). 4. Generic or Inflated Achievements Third-party writers often try to make every bullet point sound impressive, even when the underlying work was basic. A line like “Spearheaded initiatives to drive cross-departmental alignment” might describe routine weekly meetings. Why it’s a red flag: Inflation makes it harder to evaluate the real value a candidate brings. It also shows a disconnect between what they actually did and how it's being presented. Plus, does your organization need another blowhard in the conference room who controls the meeting with word salad? 5. Too much information being presented While everyone thinks that AI is controlling the review of every resume and that you need to have every keyword included in your resume to make it to the next step when applying, the truth is that at some point the resume will be reviewed by a human. Professionally written resumes tend to be jam packed with information with visually stunning sections, tables of information, and varying fonts to draw the eye – but it’s just too much for the reader to comprehend what you’ve actually done. Why it’s a red flag: Employers are looking for future leaders who know how to convey their thoughts, ideas, questions succinctly. So if you are unable to accomplish this with your resume – that you’ve had plenty of time to write, edit, modify before distributing – what will happen when you’re on the job presenting in the boardroom? Final Thoughts A professionally written resume isn’t inherently bad, many candidates benefit from outside help, especially if they’re unsure how to present themselves. However, authenticity matters. When hiring managers sense that a resume doesn’t align with the person behind it, they’ll dig deeper and often move on to more transparent candidates.  Resumes are personal. They are a summary of all that one has accomplished in their career. This is their professional fingerprint and no one else should have the same fingerprint. So, make sure that the next time you are updating or creating a new resume, make it yours, not someone else’s or trying to be someone you’re not.
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