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Executive Successor Coaching

Executive Successor Coaching is not only a sweet spot for Paragon, its our passion.

It is a process, not an event. We focus on strategically supporting organizations in addressing successor development needs months or even years prior to an urgent need arising.

Executive Successor Coaching

Our Edge

Mentorship with an external executive, if applicable

Customized 360 stakeholder interview process

Executive presence and brand support

Executive Successor coaching tools

Integration of stretch assignment or other expansive role(s)

Strategic Stakeholder Mapping

Common Pain Points

  • You have an immediate successor vacancy with no ready-successor candidates.

  • You are recruiting more external candidates than promoting internal successors.

  • You are not retaining your most valued talent.

Executive leadership
1

Diagnostic

Developing a success profile for the respective position and conducting candidate assessments.

2

Alignment

Aligning diagnostic findings with customized successor development needs and objectives.

3

Planning

Creating a targeted executive development plan to narrow gaps identified within the success profile.

4

Coaching

Regularly scheduled and just-in-time individualized coaching sessions and executive sponsor check-ins.

5

Evaluation

Customized post-engagement evaluations to assess impact and any further development needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Paragon views successor development as a process, not an event. Ideally, it begins months or even years before an urgent need arises. Starting early gives successor candidates time to close developmental gaps, gain new experiences through stretch assignments, and build the relationships needed to succeed in the role.
CEO Successor Coaching is specifically designed for leaders being prepared for the chief executive role and includes unique components like board exposure, CEO mentorship, and a CEO-specific successor profile. Executive Successor Coaching is designed for high-level executives being developed for other critical leadership roles — such as SVP, EVP, or divisional president positions. Both follow a similar Diagnostic–Alignment–Planning–Coaching–Evaluation framework.
A success profile defines the leadership behaviors, technical competencies, and strategic capabilities required for success in a specific role. Paragon develops these collaboratively with organizational stakeholders during the Diagnostic phase, ensuring the profile reflects both current demands and future direction. Successor candidates are then assessed against this profile to identify development priorities.
Over-reliance on external hiring is a common indicator that internal successor development needs attention. Paragon's process helps you build a stronger internal pipeline by identifying high-potential talent, creating targeted development plans, and establishing a proactive succession framework — reducing future dependence on external recruiting.
Strategic Stakeholder Mapping identifies the key relationships a successor needs to build, strengthen, or navigate in order to succeed in the target role. Paragon helps the successor understand the stakeholder landscape — including sponsors, influencers, peers, and direct reports — and develop a deliberate plan for building credibility and alignment with each group.

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