From Bench to Brackets
Most organizations know succession planning matters. Far fewer have a clear, workable system for doing it well. Succession planning often lives on the bench—discussed informally, revisited occasionally, and rarely carried through in a way that truly prepares the organization for leadership transitions. When the pressure is on, the lack of structure becomes clear.
Succession Madness brings this work onto the court. This half-day workshop walks participants through a clear, structured succession planning framework—one that helps organizations move from scattered conversations to a defined, repeatable approach. Participants won’t complete a full succession plan during the session. Instead, they’ll leave with clarity around what the work actually involves, how the pieces fit together, and what it takes to execute it well.
Why This Session Is Worth Showing Up For
Succession planning isn’t a quick layup—it’s a full-court effort that requires structure, clarity, and follow-through.
Succession Madness provides the framework and perspective organizations need to move this work forward with confidence. If succession planning has been sitting on the bench—or feels overwhelming to tackle alone—this workshop helps you step onto the court with a clear plan and a realistic understanding of what it takes to win.
March 26, 2026
8:00 am–12:00 pm CST
In-Person
AAIM St. Louis Training Center
Live Online
Attend and interact via Zoom
Pricing:
- Member: $299
- Non-Member: $399
The Game Plan
The session is organized into a series of guided segments, each focused on a critical part of succession planning. Together, they create a practical roadmap organizations can follow—and a realistic picture of the time, focus, and expertise required to do this work effectively.
🏀 Setting the Bracket
Participants identify which roles truly belong on the succession “bracket” by focusing on disruption, risk, and impact. This step brings discipline to scope and ensures effort is focused where leadership continuity matters most.
🏀 Game Plan
This segment clarifies what success actually looks like for critical roles—today and in the years ahead. Participants focus on defining the role itself, including skills, behaviors, and leadership expectations, before ever talking about people.
🏀 Scouting the Bench
Participants explore how organizations evaluate internal talent against role requirements using factors like performance, potential, readiness, and risk. This step builds clarity and consistency in how succession decisions are approached.
🏀 Drive to the Paint
Here, the focus shifts to identifying where readiness breaks down. Participants examine whether gaps stem from talent, role design, or organizational support—so development efforts are targeted and realistic.
🏀 Building the Bench
This segment connects succession planning to intentional development. Participants consider how stretch assignments, mentoring, coaching, training, and exposure are used to close real gaps and build leadership readiness over time.
🏀 Full-Court Press
Succession planning requires more than a single path forward. This segment focuses on planning for multiple scenarios, including unexpected vacancies and long-term transitions, and the supporting documentation and knowledge transfer that reduce risk.
🏀 Calling the Plays
Participants examine how succession planning is communicated with leaders, potential successors, and others impacted by the process. The focus is on clarity, intent, and maintaining trust while developing future leaders.
🏀 Nothing but Net
The session closes by pulling the full framework together and outlining how succession planning is reviewed, updated, and sustained over time. Participants leave with a clear sense of what strong succession planning looks like—and what it takes to keep it moving forward.
What You’ll Walk Away With
By the end of the session, participants will have:
- A clear, step-by-step succession planning roadmap
- Shared language for leadership and succession conversations
- Early groundwork for identifying critical roles and defining success
- A realistic understanding of where gaps, risk, and complexity live
- Confidence in what needs to happen next—and what level of effort and expertise it requires
This clarity helps organizations move from intention to action and decide how best to resource the work ahead.
Who Should Be on the Court
This workshop is designed for HR professionals, talent leaders, and organizational leaders involved in workforce planning, leadership development, or succession planning. It is especially valuable for those who advise senior leaders and support long-term organizational continuity.
Meet Your Coach
Tanya Zion – AAIM Business Manager, Engagement Services
With more than 20 years of experience spanning operations, change management, employee engagement, and people development, Tanya brings a practical, results-driven perspective to leadership and workplace strategy. Her career includes leadership roles in telecommunications, startups, and Fortune 500 organizations, where she has driven growth, led large-scale transformations, and integrated cross-functional teams.
Tanya holds a BS in Business Administration and a JD in Health Care Law, along with certifications in Lean Six Sigma, mindfulness, change management, and training facilitation. Her ability to blend strategy, empathy, and execution makes her a trusted advisor to leaders navigating change.
