This week saw the finale of the tv series, ‘Succession’ and I am sure many school leaders will have enjoyed watching it as a half term treat.
Succession: The TV series
Succession is a drama series that follows the Roy family, owners of a global media empire, as they navigate the cutthroat world of high-stakes business and family dynamics. Led by the aging patriarch Logan Roy, played by Brian Cox, the power struggle between his children and their ruthless attempts to secure control of the company takes center stage. With betrayal, manipulation, and intricate power plays, Succession explores the complexities of wealth, ambition, and the lengths people will go to claim their legacy.
The dark side of succession
The ups and downs of the TV programme represent the negative side of succession planning where people believe that it is just a strategy so that those in power can promote their protégé’s to take over the organisation without following fair process. Or that those who seek power are continually jockeying for position and in the most toxic environments are secretly undermining those around them.
The rise of Brighton Hove Albion FC
The day before Succession aired saw the culmination of this year’s football premier league. By this stage issues at the top end of the table had been decided and the drama was from the relegation battle.
Without doubt the revelation of this season has been the rise of Bright Hove Albion and them being guaranteed European football even before the final round of matches.
This is even more surprising when we consider that one month into the season, Graham Potter, the Brighton manager, his entire back room staff and their star player were all recruited by Chelsea.
Preparing for departures
In the ‘High Performance podcast, Paul Barber the CEO of Brighton talks about their approach to succession planning. He explains that they continually assess which personnel are the most likely to leave. They then plan who in the football club has the skills or capability to replace those who may depart. If there are no suitable internal candidate they will identify people outside the club who they feel fit the vision and values of the club.
This all meant that when Potter left for Chelsea, they had an emergency solution to implement with a view that Roberto De Zerbi whose management was on pause due to the war in Ukraine could be the ideal permanent replacement.
Succession in schools and MATs
In many parts of the countries there is a considerable shortage of staff. Yet how often do we bring the skills of succession planning to our schools? Could we analyse who we consider is most likely to leave and then begin to identify and train colleagues within our schools who could replace them? If there are no potential candidates in our schools could we think of colleagues locally who we feel share our values and build relationships with them? Or could we use social media to make connections with others?
The reality is that staff will always wish to leave our schools. I see that as a healthy part of school evolution and it always worries me when colleagues are scared to tell their managers of jobs they have applied for. (That could be a blog of its own). It is fascinating to listen to how Paul Barber coped with the continual phone calls from his counterpart at Chelsea.
A mindset of succession
Hopefully we have reached the point of the year where we will have no more resignations. So is this the moment when you open conversations with your leadership team and Chair about your succession strategy? If you are a Chair of Governors of a Trust could this be the point when you begin looking at local schools or Trusts and consider finding out about Deputy Heads or Directors of Education who could be your future Head or CEO?
Next steps:
Below are some points that you could consider to begin your succession strategy.
- Have a conversation with your leadership teams and Chair about a succession strategy?
- Create a template where you can consider who are most likely to depart and who could step up?
- Consider possible training pathways.
- Build your social media to connect with local educationalists.
The Author
Paul K Ainsworth is an experienced system leader and facilitator. His latest book, ‘No Silver Bullets: Day in, day out school improvement’ was published in February 2021 which contains 108 strategies for improving schools.
He is the author of Bloomsbury’s, ‘CPD Library: Middle Leadership’, ‘The Senior Leader’s Yearbook’ from Optimus and six other books. He is well versed in developing Middle leader, Senior Leaders and Trust.
Please contact him via LinkedIn or twitter for more information. SHe can be commissioned through Infinity Academies Trust.
Day in, day out. Day in, day out. 
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