The last hit single by the English ska revival band, The Specials, also known as the Special AKA, came in 1984 just before the band dissolved. Free Nelson Mandela became an anti-apartheid anthem and even reentered the UK Singles Chart in 2013 following the news of Mandela’s death. While the lyrics mention 21 years in captivity, it would still be another 6 years before Mandela was set free in 1990. 4 years later, he would win the Presidency. The song was the product of a revised lineup of the band after 3 members of the band left in 1981.

Many, many, many bands undergo lineup changes. The process of finding replacements for key roles within the band can stall the output of the band significantly. In this particular case, it was 3 years before a new lineup was solidified and a new full-length album was recorded. Bands often struggle with departures because there’s no “bench” to draw from. They must hire new talent. If a business were to go 3 years trying to figure out their “lineup” after one or more key players left, well, there would likely be no business left. That’s why succession planning is so important. Gina Reilly Coates joins me for the first episode of Season 5 of Next in Queue and we discuss:

• Leadership and the Role of Succession Planning• Team Member Development• Stretch Roles and Their Impact• Preparing for Interviews• Understanding Company Culture in Interviews• The Role of Communication in Leadership• A Travel and Spirits Pairing You Won’t Want to MissConnect with Gina on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginamreilly/

Music courtesy of Big Red Horse – https://www.facebook.com/bigredhorseband/