Succession can be a daunting undertaking because it is so significant a task. It need not be a solo effort. You should think about gathering a support team around you to:

a) Help plan the succession plan, including setting milestones
b) Execute on the succession plan
c) Assess and redirect the succession plan when and as needed

I often find that business people have more than full time jobs running the day to day needs of their business and setting strategy specific to the business itself. This often leaves little, if any time, for the requisite introspective and quiet time needed to work on a succession plan and the needed communication with stakeholders around the succession plan.

Here are a few thoughts and tips about gathering a succession team:

1) Find a person, internal within the organization or an experienced outside trusted advisor to be your “succession plan conscience”
2) Begin to gather a team made up of key stakeholders in the succession process, including key family members, management and outside advisors. Ensure that they understand and buy into the succession planning process.
3) To get started, hard schedule meetings with agendas and time limits, set over a specified time to scope out the succession process. Best practice is to hold these meetings off premises and have them professionally facilitated
4) Once set, ensure buy in of your succession team of the goals and objectives of the succession plan and communicate the plan with your key stakeholders.

I hope that these steps may give you some guidance to carry forward on your succession planning.

Learn, think, apply!