Case Study: Leadership Succession Planning in a Family-Run Businesses

The Client

Amanda has successfully grown her business over two decades, reaching a turnover of over £5 million. Like many SME founders, she built the company organically and now has all three of her children working in senior roles with the expectation that they will eventually take over. However, despite expressing a desire to retire, she faces significant challenges in stepping back and navigating leadership succession planning.

The Challenge

1. Unclear Retirement Plan – Amanda knows she wants to retire but has no concrete timeline or vision for what life beyond the business looks like, complicating effective leadership succession planning.

2. Internal Leadership Tensions – Her children have been placed in senior positions over long-standing staff without a clear transition strategy, leading to uncertainty and potential resentment.

3. Over-Reliance on the Founder – All key business decisions still run through her, with little delegation or involvement from the senior leadership team, hindering long-term succession planning.

The Solution

To ensure a smooth transition and a sustainable future for the business, we implemented a structured coaching and mentoring approach focused on leadership succession planning, including:

1. Creating a Clear Exit Strategy – We worked together to establish a realistic timeline for Amanda to gradually step back while also defining her personal vision for retirement.

2. Stakeholder Communication & Change Management – A structured plan was introduced to involve all key stakeholders, ensuring transparency, expectation-setting, and a smooth leadership transition.

3. Leadership & Management Training – A tailored program was developed for the senior leadership team, including her children, focusing on strategic decision-making, leadership confidence, and company vision alignment.

4. Ongoing Support & Accountability – Through a combination of mentoring and CBT techniques, we guided the leadership team in taking ownership, improving confidence, and ensuring consistency throughout the succession planning process.

The Outcome

• Amanda gained clarity on her retirement vision and an actionable leadership succession plan.

• The leadership team became more confident in their roles, improving communication and collaboration.

• Long-standing employees felt more engaged in the transition, reducing resistance to change.

• The business became less reliant on a single decision-maker, setting the foundation for long-term stability and growth.

Final Thoughts

Leadership succession planning in family-run businesses is complex but crucial for long-term success. With the right coaching, communication, and structured development, businesses can navigate this process smoothly, ensuring stability and future growth.

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