Succession planning questionnaire template: 21 questions

Succession planning is a critical but often overlooked component of organizational strategy. 

According to a survey, almost 50% of corporate board members report not having an effective plan for CEO succession, but similar issues trouble small and family-owned businesses just as well. If you still haven’t prepared a succession plan, the best way to prepare for it is to create a questionnaire that covers all aspects of the process.

In this post, we’ll explain:

• The basics of succession planning 
• Benefits of creating a questionnaire
• Questions to include in your succession planning form

Let’s take a look!

Note: Just want to see the questions? Go straight to our list of succession planning questions.

Key elements of succession planning

The purpose of succession planning is to identify and develop future leaders or key personnel in your organization. This process is fundamental for the long-term success of your business because it sets the stage for a smooth transition when employees in crucial roles retire or leave the company. Succession planning typically involves these tasks: 

• Identification of key positions: The main idea is to figure out which positions within the organization are critical and require succession planning in the first place.

• Identification of potential candidates: The second task is to identify employees with the potential to eventually fill these key positions.

• Development plans: You need to create personalized development plans for potential successors. These usually include role-specific training, mentoring, and/or job rotations.

• Regular reviews: It’s also necessary to continuously evaluate the progress of potential successors to see if they are on track.

• Contingency planning: The last task is to develop contingency plans for unexpected departures as it will help minimize disruptions.

Our list of succession planning questions focuses on these five areas of the process. But before we get into that, let’s answer a frequently asked question.

Do I really need a questionnaire for succession planning?

You are by no means obliged to create one, but a well-structured questionnaire will seriously improve your succession planning process. 

For one, it’s a structured tool to systematically gather information about employees, their skills, career aspirations, and readiness for advancement within the organization. 

A questionnaire also helps you ensure objectivity in evaluating employees across different departments and levels while identifying gaps in the talent pipeline. All this means you’ll be able to consistently find quality successors for key positions.

On the other hand, companies without carefully designed questionnaires often face long-term problems as the cost of poor succession planning is usually too high.

20+ questions for your succession planning questionnaire

Identification of key positions

1. What are the primary leadership positions within the organization?

2. Which positions have the biggest influence on driving innovation within the organization?

3. Are there any roles that are particularly challenging to fill due to specialized skills or knowledge requirements?

4. List the key responsibilities and accountabilities associated with each identified leadership position.

5. Are there any emerging roles or functions that are expected to become more critical in the future?

If yes, please specify these roles.

Identification of potential candidates

6. How do you identify potential candidates for future leadership roles within the organization?

7. What criteria are used to assess an employee’s potential for leadership roles?

8. Can you provide examples of specific competencies or skills that are considered important for potential candidates?

If yes, please provide details.

9. Are there any opportunities for employees to self-nominate or express interest in leadership development programs?

If yes, please provide details on these opportunities.

Development plans

10. Do you have a clear process for creating individualized development plans for high-potential employees?

If yes, please provide details about this process.

11. What types of developmental opportunities are offered to potential leaders?

These can be options such as training programs, stretch assignments, and mentorship opportunities.

12. How do you ensure that development plans align with the skills required for future leadership roles?

13. Are developmental experiences integrated into employees’ day-to-day responsibilities?

If yes, please provide details about this type of integration.

14. How do you encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among potential leaders during their development journeys?

Succession candidate reviews

15. What measurable outcomes or achievements are used to assess the progress of succession candidates?

16. Can you provide examples of recent achievements by potential successors that demonstrate their growth?

If yes, please provide these growth examples.

17. Are there any formal reporting mechanisms to document your review findings?

If yes, please provide details about these reporting mechanisms.

Contingency planning

18. What are the primary risks that could impact the company’s succession planning efforts?

19. Is there a contingency plan to address sudden leadership vacancies or unexpected departures?

If yes, please provide details of this plan. 

20. Can you describe any past instances where contingency plans for succession were activated?

If yes, please explain how effective they were.

21. What communication protocols are established to keep stakeholders informed and prepared in the event of a succession-related crisis?

Build a perfect succession planning questionnaire with Content Snare

There are two ways to gather information for your succession plans. One is to use email and spreadsheets, but this takes too much effort as you’ll probably get stuck in nerve-racking back-and-forth communications.

The second option is much more convenient — use a professional form builder like Content Snare. Our tool is packed with practical features that will help you accurate information in a timely manner:

• A built-in succession planning template that you can edit or use as-is
• The system automatically reminds respondents to fill out your questionnaire
• In-form conversations to help respondents if they get stuck
• Effortless data export

These are only a few Content Snare features that will drastically simplify your succession planning process, but we strongly recommend starting a 14-day free trial to test other functionalities first-hand.