All organizations aspire to have seamless transitions when a key leader departs. For physician executives, that means proactively identifying and preparing rising physician leaders to assume more senior positions—which can include preparing your own successor.

To help, we’ve collaborated with our HR colleagues to handpick five succession management tools that are most relevant to physician executives. For HR executives looking for comprehensive succession management guidance, see the HR Advancement Center's Succession Management Implementation Guide.

Five succession planning tools for physician leadership roles

• Succession Plan Prioritization Matrix: Use this 9-box matrix to identify which physician leadership positions merit near-term and long-term succession plans. Download the matrix.

• Leadership Potential Diagnostic: Use this diagnostic to identify the top 25% of physicians with leadership potential. Download the diagnostic.

• High Potential Calibration Discussion Guide: Use this discussion guide to further narrow your list of high-potential physician leaders to the top 10%. Download the guide.

• Physician Leadership Development Opportunity Cheat Sheet: Use this cheat sheet to identify opportunities that will give future physician leaders hands-on experience and leadership perspective. Download the cheat sheet.

• Five Questions to Identify Key Physician Leadership Experiences: Use these five questions to reflect on personal experiences that prepared you for leadership and that you think future leaders would similarly benefit from. Download the questions.

Have a cohort of emerging physician leaders? Set them up for success

Resources For Newly-Promoted Physician Leaders: Share this one-pager with newly-promoted physician leaders to help reduce the administrative burden of their new role. Linked resources include a committee effectiveness toolkit, physician communication strategies, and some of our most popular leadership infographics. Download the one-pager.