When 42% of leaders leave without warning, most companies panic. Amanda, finance turned HR strategist and chartered manager, explains how to future-proof your team before the vacancy hits.
In this episode, we unpack practical, data-driven succession planning, why “accidental managers” are costing you growth, and how HR earns a real seat at the table by thinking like a business owner.
You’ll learn:
What succession planning really is (and isn’t) and how to start it in a week
The data, dashboards and conversations HR must run to stop talent gaps
How to develop managers who can actually lead (not just do the job)
Why cross-generational hiring (T-Levels, grads) keeps you relevant in an AI world
The underrated skills: mediation, communication, reflection, resilience
If this helped, subscribe for more episodes and share with a leader who needs a plan, not a panic.
Chapters
00:00:00 — Chance, Not Plan: Amanda’s HR Origin
00:02:18 — Thrown In: Studying While Doing the Job
00:04:50 — Succession Defined: Your People Contingency Plan
00:06:56 — Scaling Playbook: Building Talent “Our Way”
00:07:58 — From Gut to Data: Decisions That Stick
00:09:55 — HR at the Table: Think Like an Owner
00:12:25 — Why Most Succession Fails (And Who’s Missing)
00:14:18 — Planning in Uncertainty: Hire the Future In
00:16:58 — Maintain vs. Hyper-Scale: Knowing Your Path
00:18:53 — Career Moats: Learning, Credentials, Confidence
00:19:50 — Reflection as Strategy: Walk, Think, Improve
00:23:10 — Accidental Managers: The Hidden Cost
00:27:00 — Next-Gen Leadership: Firm, Human, Resilient
00:29:12 — Post-COVID Reality: Psychological Safety Pays
00:31:10 — Hard Talks, Soft Skills: Mediate & Communicate
00:34:18 — One Thing I’d Tell My Younger Self
