This highlight video is from the  May 15th Milwaukee Talent Development Conference 2025, session Succession Planning: How Future-Ready are Your Leaders?

Is Your Leadership Pipeline Ready for What’s Next?

Jennifer Kern and Matt Sernaker didn’t just deliver a session on succession planning—they challenged us to rethink it entirely. With 1 in 5 Americans hitting retirement age by 2030, the real risk isn’t just leadership turnover. It’s losing momentum, institutional knowledge, and the cultural continuity that drives innovation.

Their core message: Succession planning shouldn’t live in HR binders. It must live in the daily decisions of people leaders across the organization.

Becoming future-ready doesn’t require a massive overhaul. It starts with a mindset shift.

🔍 Key Insights for Future-Ready Succession Planning

• Make it daily, not annual: Leadership development must be baked into everyday behaviors—not backloaded into annual reviews.
• Trust is your signal: The most promotable leaders earn trust by growing others.
• Use the 3-part lens: Spot potential using Trust & Talent, Strategic Mindset, and Organizational Influence.
• Time isn’t the issue—priority is: Micro-observations, intentional questions, and lightweight routines build momentum.
• Frontline activation is essential: Culture shifts when frontline leaders know they’re part of the succession story.

One powerful quote captured the spirit of the session:

“The question isn’t just who’s next, but how are we helping them get there?” -- Matt Sernaker, Lake Forest Center for Leadership

Succession planning only works when it’s embedded in the culture—and when it’s contagious. When frontline leaders, managers, and HR share ownership, leadership development becomes part of the everyday rhythm of work.

So, how future-ready is your organization? Are your leaders just managing today—or building what comes next?

💬 Share how you're sparking succession momentum on the ELE Idea Exchange.