CEO Succession Planning: Not Just Good for Continuity but a Catalyst for Renewal

In membership organisations, leadership transitions often provoke anxiety. Boards worry about stability, staff fear disruption, and members hope for reassurance that the values they cherish will remain intact. Amidst this, CEO succession planning can sometimes be treated as a necessary evil, something to be reluctantly tackled when a long-standing leader hints at retirement or abruptly announces their departure. But in truth, succession planning should be viewed not just as a risk mitigation tool, but as a proactive, strategic lever for organisational renewal.

Done well, CEO succession planning provides more than business continuity. It injects fresh energy, new ideas, and revitalised ambition into an organisation. And for membership bodies whose very survival depends on relevance, responsiveness, and renewal, this periodic refresh is not just desirable. It is critical.

The Comfort (and Cost) of Longevity

Many membership organisations are led by long-serving CEOs. This continuity can bring deep sector expertise, trusted relationships, and a stable hand at the wheel; but over time, this comfort can calcify. What once was innovative becomes “the way we’ve always done it.” A leader who built the organisation’s reputation can, without realising, begin to hold back its next evolution.

When boards delay succession planning or cling to familiar leadership, they risk stifling innovation. Staff may become risk-averse. Strategic planning becomes a ritual rather than a creative exercise. The energy that once fuelled member engagement may quietly dissipate. In this context, succession planning is not a threat to continuity. It is its saviour.

Refreshing the Agenda

Succession is not about changing for the sake of it. It is about recognising when an organisation needs to recalibrate, to reimagine, to reenergise.

A new CEO, who is chosen through a deliberate, inclusive process, should bring with them a different lens. They should challenge assumptions. They should ask questions that haven’t been asked in years. They should see opportunity where others see routine; and crucially, they should engage with members in new ways and reinvigorate relationships and the surfacing of fresh ideas.

This doesn’t mean disregarding the past. Good succession honours what has gone before, while making space for what is to come. The best transitions allow an outgoing CEO to shape a dignified departure, and for the incoming leader to arrive with a mandate to lead, not just maintain.

Creating a Culture of Renewal

Succession planning also signals something deeper about an organisation’s culture. It demonstrates that leadership is a shared responsibility and not a personality cult. It invites senior staff and board members to think beyond the current CEO, and to imagine what the organisation will need in five or ten years.

This mindset fosters internal leadership development, too. When future CEOs are cultivated from within, the organisation is rewarded with continuity and creativity. Equally, when external appointments are made thoughtfully, they act as catalytic moments, shaking loose assumptions and opening up new strategic directions.

Succession planning, then, becomes part of a wider culture of renewal, one that sees change as healthy, not hazardous.

A Strategic, Not Reactive, Exercise

Too many boards only engage with CEO succession when a resignation lands on the table. This reactive approach narrows options, increases risk, and limits the ability to shape the future.

A strategic approach to succession planning means:

• Understand the CEO role: Your can't recruit effectively if you don't know who you're looking for. Use a leadership competency framework to guide your understanding (use mine at https://prezi.com/view/QL0ISR0JQN7mobYl1NUt/).

• Starting early: Even if the CEO is years from departure, boards should regularly discuss leadership continuity and renewal.

• Building internal talent: Invest in leadership development across the organisation. You may already have your next CEO on the team, but they need time and support to grow.

• Scanning the horizon: Understand what the future may demand, in skills, behaviours, and mindset. Choose a leader for the organisation you want to become, not just the one you are.

• Creating a plan: Document the process, establish timelines, and clarify roles. The best succession plans are live documents, not dusty HR files.

Trust and Transparency Matter

In membership organisations, leadership transitions are watched closely, not just by staff and boards, but by members, stakeholders, and sometimes the media. The process must therefore be handled with professionalism, clarity, and a deep sense of organisational values.

Transparency builds trust. Members don’t need to know every detail of the recruitment process, but they do need confidence that the organisation is being stewarded with care. Boards, in particular, must lead with integrity, neither clinging to the status quo nor rushing into hasty change.

Leadership as a Living System

CEO succession planning is often framed as preparing for loss - of expertise, continuity, and identity; but that’s the wrong frame. It is, in fact, an opportunity to reassert purpose, renew ambition, and rediscover relevance.

In a membership organisation, where people matter as much as policy, and where identity is as important as impact, leadership transitions are both delicate and powerful. Done well, they are not disruptions. They are revitalisations.

Let’s reframe CEO succession planning as not just good governance, but good growth. Not just about preparing for the worst, but about unlocking the best.

And let’s begin that planning long before we think we need it, because the future is always closer than it seems and it deserves to be led with fresh eyes, full hearts, and a shared sense of purpose.

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There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how long a CEO should stay in post, particularly in membership organisations, but here’s a strategic perspective:

Typical Benchmarks

• 5–7 years is widely regarded as a healthy tenure for a CEO.

• 10+ years can be appropriate when a CEO is driving significant long-term transformation or when continuity is essential.

• Beyond 12 years, most organisations risk stagnation unless the CEO is actively reinventing themselves and the organisation.

Key Considerations for CEO Tenure

1. Organisational Life Cycle

• Start-up or turnaround phase: A shorter, high-impact tenure (3–5 years) may suit a CEO brought in to drive urgent change.

• Stability and maturity: A longer tenure (7–10 years) may suit a CEO who builds trust, culture, and long-term vision.

• Post-crisis renewal: Sometimes a fresh perspective is required sooner, even if a CEO has served well.

2. Vision versus Maintenance

• A CEO who builds a clear strategic vision and delivers on it over a defined period is often more effective than one who simply maintains the status quo for too long.

• Once a CEO has lost the appetite to challenge norms, innovate, or energise others, it’s time to think about succession.

3. Member-Centric Relevance

• In membership organisations, staying connected to evolving member needs is critical. If a CEO becomes too inward-facing or reliant on legacy relationships, renewal may be needed for the organisation to stay relevant.

4. Leadership Energy and Renewal

• Even the most capable CEOs risk becoming fatigued or overly comfortable. Tenure should align with their continued ability to lead with purpose, energy, and fresh ideas.

Board Responsibility

Boards should assess CEO tenure as part of regular performance reviews and succession planning. The question isn’t just how long has the CEO been here but is this still the right leader for what’s next?

A good rule of thumb is this: a CEO should stay long enough to make a meaningful impact, but not so long that their leadership becomes a barrier to further progress. Ideally, they leave while still energised, respected, and ready to hand over an organisation that’s in better shape than when they found it.