In a healthcare landscape marked by rapid change, workforce shortages and increasing demands, organizations are being called on to not only deliver operational excellence but to cultivate the next generation of leaders. And it’s no secret that organizations that succeed at retaining and advancing high-potential leaders don’t just rely on a process; they personalize development, align leadership goals with organizational strategy and foster a culture in which people are inspired to grow—and stay.
To dive deeper into how healthcare organizations can succeed in this effort, two thought leaders in leadership development, Allyson Saccomondi, vice president of leadership and organizational development and HR strategy, Temple University Health System, and Paul Erdahl, TLD group succession planning senior consultant, recently shared their insights. Their perspectives, drawn from decades of experience, focus on the essential practices, tools and mindsets needed to retain and advance high-potential talent in today’s healthcare environment.
The Risk of Standing Still
A common concern among healthcare leaders is: What if we invest in developing our people and they leave? But the greater risk, as we’ve often seen, is What happens if we don’t—and they stay?
Developing and retaining high-potential talent is not only a leadership imperative; it is a strategic one. The challenges of workforce shortages, burnout and competitive pressure—both from within healthcare and from adjacent industries—require leaders who are equipped, inspired and aligned with their organization’s mission.
Succession planning is a proven pathway to achieving this. But as Saccomondi and Erdahl emphasized, effective succession planning is not just about replacing leaders when they leave. It’s about preparing leaders for success before transitions happen—and ensuring that the organization is continuously investing in its most promising talent.
Defining Succession Planning in Healthcare
At its core, succession planning is a deliberate and systematic effort to ensure leadership continuity in key roles, retain and develop top talent for the future, and encourage individual growth and advancement. Erdahl explained that this work begins with a fundamental question: What is your organization’s strategic context?
“Are you focused on growth and innovation or are you doubling down on stability and operational efficiency?” he says. “The answers to these questions dictate the leadership competencies you need. From there, you can begin to define success profiles—detailing the capabilities, skills and personal attributes required for specific roles—and then use those profiles to guide talent assessments and development plans.”
These “success profiles” are not abstract tools. They reflect a real-world alignment between the organization’s strategic direction and the people who will lead it forward.
Turning Theory Into Practice: Lessons from Temple University Health System
Philadelphia-based Temple University Health System has been applying succession planning strategies with discipline and purpose under Saccomondi’s leadership.
“We try to implement the process on a yearly basis,” she says. “And we intentionally keep it separate from our performance management and engagement efforts. Succession planning deserves its own focus—this is about the future of the organization.”
By engaging leaders across the system in structured talent conversations, Saccomondi and her team gather rich, current data about key roles and potential successors. These conversations don’t just feed the leadership pipeline. They inform other talent strategies, from program design to individualized development.
“You’d be surprised how engaged leaders are when we sit down and ask them, ‘What makes your role critical? Who’s on your team? Who’s ready for more?’” says Saccomondi. “It’s a moment of reflection and a moment of planning.”
The Power of Competency Models and Success Profiles
To identify and develop high-potential leaders, organizations need clear criteria. That’s where organizational competency models and role-specific success profiles come in.
As Erdahl notes, competency models serve as an overarching framework—often rooted in mission and values—that defines behavioral expectations across the organization. These models can include competencies like effective communication, decision-making, resilience and inclusive leadership.
“Success profiles take that one step further,” says Erdahl. “They’re tailored to specific roles. For instance, what does a successful director of nursing look like—not just today, but for the organization’s future? What are their leadership strengths, functional skills and personal attributes? What are the potential derailers that could hold them back?”
Erdahl emphasizes that well-designed success profiles incorporate five elements:
- Strategic context: What does the organization need from this role now and in the future?
- Role responsibilities: What are the day-to-day and long-term expectations?
- Key competencies: What are the behavioral and technical skills required?
- Success factors: How will we know if the individual is truly excelling?
- Potential derailers: What risks or behaviors could undermine performance?
These profiles form the foundation of succession decisions and development plans, providing clarity, consistency and accountability.
Aligning Strategy, Structure and Development
To build a sustainable leadership pipeline, succession planning must be woven into the fabric of organizational strategy and culture. At Temple University Health System, the competency model is embedded in the performance management process and has evolved alongside the organization’s growth.
“We created an enterprisewide model with five or six top competencies that matter most,” explains Saccomondi. “And as our strategy has changed, so has the model. It’s not static. It evolves with us.”
For executive-level roles and other key positions, Temple pairs the overarching model with more detailed success profiles—just as Erdahl described.
“Competency models guide how we shape our culture,” says Saccomondi. “Success profiles help us support individual advancement.”
A Long-Term Investment With Lasting Returns
Retaining and advancing high-potential leaders is not an HR initiative—it’s an enterprise strategy. It requires clarity, commitment and continuous effort. When done well, succession planning strengthens organizational resilience, improves performance and creates a workplace where talent feels seen, valued and prepared for what’s next.
As you reflect on your own organization’s efforts, ask yourself: Are we preparing the right leaders for the challenges ahead? Are we developing our top talent or simply hoping they’ll stick around? Strategic succession planning isn’t just about who leads next. It’s about building a leadership legacy that lasts.
Tracy Duberman, PhD, FACHE, is president and CEO, The Leadership Development Group.