Groom your own replacement
A leader who can't be replaced isn't secure. They're just hoarding the job.
Every leader should have one or two direct reports they are actively grooming to eventually take their role, with real performance objectives tied to that transition, not a vague someday.
Delegation and succession planning are the same muscle, not two separate programs. Real delegation, handing someone an actual decision and not just a task, builds exactly the skill a successor needs.
Most leaders skip this out of a quiet fear of becoming replaceable. Naming that fear does not disqualify you from doing it anyway.
What you get
- A table for your one or two succession candidates: the next decision you'll hand them, and how you'll know they're ready
- The replaceable-not-insecure argument, stated plainly
- A prompt for whether the executive team already knows who steps in if you left tomorrow
Where should we send it?
One email with the worksheet. You can unsubscribe from anything else in one click.
On its way
Check your inbox. If it has not landed in a minute or two, look in promotions or spam, and add sam@startuppatterns.com to your contacts so the rest arrive.
Adapted from the Leadership chapter of The Mindful Product Company by Sam McAfee.