A change in leadership is never easy on anyone. For the new leader, it means taking an already established company with a set company culture and way of doing things and then adapting to it or evolving it to align with new ideals. For the current team, it means uncertainty and changes to the day-to-day tasks and experience at work.

The key to successful succession, therefore, is to ensure a smooth handoff while maintaining “business as usual.” If you’re working on a succession plan for your business, or are currently in the middle of a transition of leadership, consider the following advice from the experts of Forbes Business Council.

1. Consider Succession Planning Part Of Managing the Business

The sooner leaders evaluate an organization’s bench strength and put in place succession plans, the better. If leaders keep succession in mind as an ongoing part of managing the business, the organization can withstand planned as well as unplanned leadership changes.

2. Stay Clear On Your Purpose And Goals

Maintaining clarity of purpose and goals is very important. Companies that do not have clear alignment are at high risk. Transitions often exacerbate instability and loss of focus.

3. Create More Leadership Opportunities For Employees At All Levels

You might consider opening up the opportunity for leadership development to employees at all levels, rather than focusing on just a couple of high potentials. Consider developing cohorts rather than individuals and creating an abundance of opportunity rather than scarcity.

4. Ensure You Have The Right Design, People And Information

There are three elements to ensure good succession planning: 1. The right organization design—have a design that supports engagement, cross-department exposure and information flow; 2. the right people—make sure that there is more than one person who could potentially take the mantle; 3. the right information—ensure information flow through org design, a documented operations manual, internal meeting recordings and minutes.

5. Involve Future Leaders Early On

To ensure a smooth transition in succession planning, it’s crucial to identify and develop future leaders early on. Provide mentorship, delegate tasks and involve them in decision-making processes. This approach ensures they are prepared and familiar with the organization’s operations, promoting consistency and maintaining business continuity during leadership changes.

6. Maintain Open Channels Of Communication

Transparency plays a vital role in succession planning and transitions. After you’ve decided on a transition, it’s essential to maintain open channels of communication with stakeholders to ensure a seamless changeover. The process begins by clarifying the specifics and fostering an environment of inclusivity and positivity, which is key for business continuity during the transition.

7. Implement A ‘Shadow’ Or Hands-On Mentoring Program

Implement a “leadership shadow” program where potential successors work closely with current leaders. This hands-on mentoring ensures continuity of culture and vision, while gradually transitioning responsibilities. It creates a pipeline of well-prepared leaders, reducing disruption during transitions.

8. Develop A Comprehensive Business Strategy

Having a comprehensive business strategy in place that steers the company forward is key in overcoming the bumps that come with leader transitions. Clear communication on the transition, as well as aligning and focusing the business teams on the strategy, keeps the ship steady while assuring staff of the steps being taken to ensure any gaps are remedied before and after the transition.

9. Consider The Full Effect Of A Leadership Change

Owners must consider the full implications of a leadership change. This can include successor development, effects on the current team, changes to compensation and, particularly, tax implications of related stock awards.

10. Gradually Transition The Responsibilities

It may sound obvious, but for startups, ensuring a smooth leadership transition while maintaining momentum can be especially crucial. A business owner should gradually transition responsibilities. Collect all materials and documentation. Start by identifying and mentoring a potential successor, then slowly involve them in key decisions and responsibilities.

11. Cultivate A Customer-Centric Mindset

Beyond nurturing top performers and facilitating internal knowledge transfer, look to truly understand your customer relationships, both in terms of their breadth and depth across your organization. Using customer data ensures their needs guide succession decisions and allows you to proactively multithread your relationships before departures for longevity.

12. Be Sure To ‘Test The Waters’

Succession planning is like testing the water before diving in. It allows business owners to gauge the depth of their team’s readiness, identify potential leaders hidden beneath the surface and develop them to make a splash in their new roles. By testing the waters, business owners can uncover the right talent, align them with the company’s vision and create a legacy that makes a lasting impact.

13. Ensure Every Employee Has A Backup

Instead of thinking about succession planning, we focus on a broader organizational principle: that every person within the firm should have a backup. No team, department or company should balance on the head of one person. This principle ensures strategy lives beyond the individual, enabling organizational flexibility and continuity while also supporting employee development and adaptability.

14. Assemble A Committee To Help

Create a committee to help with planning and communication. Ensure you have a detailed plan, including a sequence of who to notify in a manner that develops buy-in from the team and key stakeholders.

15. Develop And Trust Your Junior Leaders

As a commander in the military, I mentored my junior officers to not only certify but also take my place in certain controlled training events. These leadership investments paid off in spades during combat. Faced with a decision to split my unit in combat, I did not hesitate. Small business owners can achieve the same result by cultivating, developing and trusting their junior leaders.

16. Keep Stakeholders Informed At Every Stage

Transparent communication is essential in succession planning to maintain “business as usual.” Keeping all stakeholders—including employees, clients and partners—informed about leadership transitions, fosters trust and stability. I’ve found that open dialogue about the transition process reduces uncertainty and ensures everyone remains focused on our goals, despite the changes in leadership.

17. Remember The ‘Trans-Relational’ Part Of The Process

Transitioning leadership can feel very transactional. During a leadership transition, don’t forget about the “trans-relational” part of the process. It is important to honor outgoing leaders by building upon legacies. This also models valuing every person for their accomplishments, which is important for building a strong company culture in perpetuity.

18. Bring In Outside Experts

Bringing in outside experts can provide you with unbiased insights into regulatory and legal matters, address concerns while keeping in mind all stakeholders, and offer creative solutions based on best practices. This approach helps manage the leadership transition smoothly while allowing current leaders to focus on their core responsibilities, ensuring business continuity and effective succession planning.

19. Choose A Successor With The Same Morals And Values

You want to identify someone who will take your place in your company early on. Choose someone you know who shares your values and morals, and then train them on the skills to take over your position smoothly. It all starts with them having your values and morals, though, to ensure they can grow the company you started and keep it on brand with what you established.

20. Start Planning As Early As You Can

Succession planning is often a last-minute exercise that gets rushed. Things will get missed. Important decisions will be made hastily. Starting early allows you to explore all the options available. Each path to departing your company has pluses and minuses. You have to have time to prepare your team for the transition.

Read the full article at Forbes