Succession Hub - Complete Guide to Leadership Continuity
Succession Hub is MangoAppsβ strategic workforce planning platform that helps organizations identify, develop, and manage leadership pipelines to ensure organizational continuity. This guide covers everything from understanding the 9-box matrix to building robust succession plans for critical roles.
1. Understanding Succession Hub
Succession Hub transforms succession planning from a reactive exercise into a proactive, data-driven strategy. Instead of scrambling when key leaders depart, organizations can maintain a ready pipeline of qualified successors for every critical position.
Core Philosophy
System Architecture
2. Key Capabilities
The Seven Pillars of Succession Hub
| Pillar | Purpose | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline Management | Build leadership bench strength | High-potential identification, flight risk tracking, talent pool analytics |
| Role Planning | Ensure critical roles have successors | Critical role definition, succession depth mapping, gap analysis |
| Assessment | Evaluate leadership readiness | 9-box matrix with EPMS integration, competency assessment, readiness scoring |
| Development | Grow future leaders | Development programs, coaching tracking, stretch assignments |
| Analytics | Data-driven decisions | Pipeline health, coverage reports, board-level insights |
| Bench Strength | Monitor organizational readiness | Readiness distribution, role coverage scores, department analytics |
| Talent Reports | Identify workforce trends | Time-in-role analytics, stagnation risk reporting, employee comparison |
Feature Comparison by User Role
3. The 9-Box Matrix Explained
The 9-box matrix is the foundation of talent assessment in Succession Hub. It maps employees across two dimensions: Performance (from EPMS reviews) and Potential (from succession assessments).
EPMS Integration
The 9-Box Matrix now integrates directly with EPMS (Employee Performance Management System) to automatically populate performance ratings:
Matrix Visualization
POTENTIAL
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β LOW β MEDIUM β HIGH β
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β HIGH β Workhorse βHigh Perf. β Stars β
β β πͺ β π β β β
P ββββββββΌβββββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββ€
E βMEDIUMβ Solid βCore Player βHigh Potent.β
R β β Contributor β π― β π β
F ββββββββΌβββββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββΌβββββββββββββ€
O β LOW β Under βInconsistentβ Rough β
R β β Performer β οΈ β π β Diamond π β
M β β β β β
A ββββββββ΄βββββββββββββββ΄βββββββββββββ΄βββββββββββββ
N
C
E
What Each Box Means
| Box | Description | Succession Priority | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | High performer with high potential | βββ Primary | Accelerated development, succession candidacy |
| High Performer | Strong performance, medium potential | βββ Primary | Retain and leverage expertise |
| High Potential | High potential, building performance | βββ Primary | Performance coaching, stretch assignments |
| Workhorse | Reliable high performer, limited growth | ββ Secondary | Value expertise, mentor others |
| Core Player | Solid performer, moderate potential | ββ Secondary | Retain, deepen expertise |
| Rough Diamond | High potential, needs performance focus | ββ Secondary | Investigate barriers, may need role change |
| Solid Contributor | Dependable, steady performer | β Monitor | Maintain engagement |
| Inconsistent | Mixed results, needs development | β Monitor | Targeted development support |
| Under Performer | Low on both dimensions | β Review | Performance management or exit |
Department Filtering
The 9-Box Matrix now supports department filtering to analyze talent by organizational unit:
- All Departments: View organization-wide talent distribution
- Single Department: Focus on specific teamβs talent landscape
- Filter Persistence: Selections maintained during session
Performance Rating Source
Performance is now derived from EPMS reviews:
| EPMS Rating | Matrix Performance Level |
|---|---|
| 4.5 - 5.0 | High Performance |
| 3.0 - 4.4 | Medium Performance |
| 1.0 - 2.9 | Low Performance |
Summary Statistics
The matrix view displays key metrics:
- Total in Matrix: All employees with assessments
- Stars: High potential + high performance (top right box)
- Succession Candidates: Employees identified for succession
- High Potentials: Employees marked as high potential
Assessment Flow
4. Critical Roles & Succession Planning
Defining Critical Roles
Critical roles are positions where vacancy would significantly impact business operations, strategy, or competitive advantage.
Succession Depth Requirements
For each critical role, Succession Hub tracks succession depth:
| Succession Depth | Description | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|
| 0 Candidates | No identified successors | π΄ Critical Gap |
| 1 Candidate | Single point of failure | π High Risk |
| 2 Candidates | Minimum coverage | π‘ Moderate Risk |
| 3+ Candidates | Healthy pipeline | π’ Low Risk |
Succession Matrix Workflow
5. Readiness Levels
Succession Hub categorizes candidate readiness into clear timeframes:
Readiness Timeline
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β SUCCESSION READINESS β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β
β π’ READY NOW Can step into role immediately β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β β’ All competencies met β
β β β’ No critical development gaps β
β β β’ Emergency succession candidate β
β β
β π‘ READY IN 1 YEAR Minor development needed β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β β’ 1-2 competency gaps to close β
β β β’ Active development in progress β
β β β’ Strong succession candidate β
β β
β π READY IN 2 YEARS Significant development planned β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β β’ Multiple competency gaps β
β β β’ Development program enrolled β
β β β’ Pipeline candidate β
β β
β π΄ 3+ YEARS Long-term development β
β βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
β β β’ Emerging talent with high potential β
β β β’ Foundational development needed β
β β β’ Future pipeline candidate β
β β
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Readiness Assessment Factors
6. Development Programs
Succession Hub integrates development tracking to accelerate candidate readiness.
Program Types
Development Program Lifecycle
7. Bench Strength Dashboard
The Bench Strength Dashboard provides an aggregate view of succession readiness across your organization, helping you identify gaps and monitor overall preparedness.
Overall Bench Strength Score
The dashboard calculates an overall bench strength grade based on coverage of critical roles:
| Grade | Score Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100% | Excellent coverage across all critical roles |
| B | 75-89% | Good coverage with minor gaps |
| C | 60-74% | Adequate coverage, improvement needed |
| D | 40-59% | Significant gaps requiring attention |
| F | 0-39% | Critical gaps, immediate action required |
Readiness Distribution
Track your succession candidates across four readiness levels:
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β READINESS DISTRIBUTION β
βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ€
β β
β π’ READY NOW Candidates who can step in immediately β
β β
β π΅ READY IN 1 YEAR Minor development gaps to close β
β β
β π‘ READY IN 2 YEARS Active development in progress β
β β
β π DEVELOPMENT NEEDED Long-term development required β
β β
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Key Dashboard Components
High-Urgency Role Coverage
The dashboard highlights roles marked as critical or high-urgency that need immediate attention:
| Status | Description | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| π΄ Gap | No ready candidates | Immediate candidate identification |
| π At Risk | Only 1 ready candidate | Add backup candidates |
| π‘ Adequate | 2 ready candidates | Monitor and develop |
| π’ Covered | 3+ ready candidates | Maintain pipeline |
8. Talent Pools
Talent Pools allow you to organize employees into groups for tracking, development, and succession planning purposes.
Pool Types
| Pool Type | Purpose | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Diversity Pool | Track DEI initiatives | Women in leadership, underrepresented groups, diversity programs |
| Skills-Based Pool | Group by competencies | Technical experts, future leaders, specialized skills |
| Saved Group | Custom employee groups | Project teams, cross-functional talent, watch lists |
Creating Talent Pools
Pool Management Features
- Search & Filter: Find pools by name, type, or member
- Member Management: Add or remove employees from pools
- Activity Tracking: See last activity and modification dates
- Pool Statistics: View member counts and pool health metrics
9. Talent Reports & Analytics
Talent Reports provide deep insights into workforce trends, helping identify potential issues before they become problems.
Time-in-Role Analytics
Track how long employees have been in their current roles to identify potential stagnation:
Stagnation Risk Detection
The system automatically identifies employees who may be at risk of stagnation based on:
| Risk Factor | Threshold | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Time in Current Role | 36+ months | High stagnation risk |
| No Recent Promotion | 4+ years | Career progression concern |
| High Potential + Long Tenure | Combined | Flight risk indicator |
Department Breakdown
Analyze stagnation risk by department to identify systemic issues:
- View total employees per department
- See at-risk count and percentage
- Compare departments visually with progress bars
- Export data for deeper analysis
Quick Actions
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| View Full Report | Detailed time-in-role breakdown for all employees |
| Stagnation Risks Only | Filtered view of at-risk employees |
| Export to CSV | Download data for external analysis |
| Compare Employees | Side-by-side talent comparison |
10. Employee Comparison (Talent Reviews)
The Employee Comparison feature allows side-by-side evaluation of candidates for succession planning decisions.
Comparison Attributes
When comparing employees, you can evaluate:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Current Role | Job title and level |
| Company Tenure | Total time with organization |
| Time in Role | Duration in current position |
| Match % | Fit percentage against target role (when selected) |
| Readiness | Succession readiness assessment |
| Performance | Latest EPMS performance rating |
| Potential | Potential assessment and high-potential status |
| Flight Risk | Retention risk indicator |
| Key Skills | Verified and claimed skills with proficiency |
| Previous Roles | Role history and promotion count |
| Development Areas | Identified improvement needs |
| Strengths | Documented strong points |
Target Role Matching
Skills Comparison Matrix
When comparing employees, a skills matrix shows:
- Which skills each employee has
- Verification status (verified vs. claimed)
- Proficiency levels
- Gaps relative to other candidates
Quick Actions from Comparison
- Add to Plan: Assign employee to a succession plan
- Development: Enroll in leadership development program
11. Flight Risk Management
High-potential employees are often attractive to competitors. Succession Hub monitors flight risk signals.
Risk Indicators
Risk Response Matrix
| Risk Level | Score Range | Monitoring | Intervention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | 80-100 | Weekly | Immediate executive outreach, retention offer |
| High | 60-79 | Bi-weekly | Manager conversation, development acceleration |
| Moderate | 40-59 | Monthly | Career discussion, opportunity visibility |
| Low | 0-39 | Quarterly | Standard engagement activities |
12. Getting Started
Implementation Roadmap
Quick Start Checklist
Week 1-2: Foundation Setup
- Enable Succession Hub from Marketplace
- Configure role-based permissions
- Define 5-10 critical roles to start
- Set up competency framework
Week 3-4: Pipeline Building
- Identify initial high-potential pool (top 10%)
- Complete first-round assessments
- Map candidates to 9-box matrix
- Review with leadership team
Week 5-6: Succession Planning
- Create succession plans for critical roles
- Identify readiness levels for candidates
- Document development needs
- Establish review cadence
Ongoing: Maintenance
- Quarterly succession reviews
- Update assessments after performance cycles
- Track development program progress
- Monitor flight risk indicators
Navigation Guide
13. Integration with EPMS
Succession Hub draws insights from Employee Performance Management for more accurate succession planning. The 9-Box Matrix now directly uses EPMS performance review ratings for automatic, objective placement.
Data Flow
Synced Data Points
| EPMS Data | Succession Hub Usage |
|---|---|
| Performance ratings | 9-box placement (X-axis), Employee comparison |
| 360 feedback scores | Leadership potential signals |
| Goal achievement | Performance trend analysis |
| Skills assessments | Competency gap identification, Skills comparison matrix |
| Development plan progress | Readiness acceleration tracking |
| Review period | Context for performance ratings in matrix |
9-Box Matrix Integration
The 9-Box Matrix now displays:
- Performance Rating: Automatically pulled from latest EPMS review
- Rating Scale: Shows rating out of total scale (e.g., 4.2/5.0)
- Review Period: Indicates which review cycle the rating is from
- Department: Filter by department to analyze specific teams
14. Reports & Board Presentations
Available Reports
| Report | Audience | Frequency | Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Summary | Board, C-Suite | Quarterly | Pipeline health, critical gaps, key risks |
| Succession Coverage | HR, Executives | Monthly | Role-by-role coverage analysis |
| Bench Strength | HR, Executives | Monthly | Overall readiness scores, coverage grades |
| Time-in-Role | HR, Managers | Monthly | Tenure analysis, stagnation risk identification |
| Stagnation Risks | HR, Managers | Weekly | At-risk employees exceeding role tenure threshold |
| Development ROI | HR, Finance | Quarterly | Program effectiveness, investment tracking |
| Flight Risk Alert | HR, Managers | Real-time | At-risk high-potential notifications |
| Readiness Progression | HR | Monthly | Candidate advancement tracking |
| Employee Comparison | HR, Managers | On-demand | Side-by-side candidate evaluation |
Board Report Structure
15. Best Practices
Doβs β
- Review quarterly β Succession plans should be living documents, not annual exercises
- Maintain depth β Aim for 2-3 candidates per critical role
- Invest in development β High-potentials need accelerated growth opportunities
- Calibrate regularly β Ensure consistent 9-box placements across departments
- Link to performance β Use EPMS data to validate potential assessments
- Monitor bench strength β Track overall organizational readiness monthly
- Address stagnation risks β Proactively engage employees with long role tenure
- Use talent pools β Organize employees into meaningful groups for tracking
- Compare candidates β Use side-by-side comparison for objective decisions
- Filter by department β Analyze 9-box matrix at team level for targeted insights
Donβts β
- Donβt wait for vacancies β Build pipelines before you need them
- Donβt forget retention β Identified high-potentials need engagement
- Donβt skip calibration β Individual manager bias affects accuracy
- Donβt ignore diversity β Pipeline should reflect organizational values
- Donβt create once and forget β Regular updates maintain relevance
- Donβt ignore stagnation β Long time-in-role increases flight risk
- Donβt skip EPMS reviews β Performance data powers the 9-box matrix
- Donβt compare without context β Always select a target role when relevant
16. Success Metrics
Organizations using Succession Hub effectively typically achieve:
| Metric | Target | Industry Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Succession Readiness | 75%+ of critical roles covered | 68% average |
| Internal Promotion Rate | 80%+ for leadership roles | 78% average |
| Time to Fill | 25% faster for planned transitions | Industry standard |
| High-Potential Retention | 95%+ annual retention | 94% average |
| Development Program Completion | 85%+ completion rate | 80% average |
Related Resources
- Succession Hub Overview β Quick introduction to capabilities
- EPMS Comprehensive Guide β Performance management integration
- Development Plans Guide β Creating effective development plans
- Skills Tracking β Competency assessment basics
This article should be updated when:
- New succession planning features are added (transitions, notifications)
- 9-box matrix calculation logic changes or new data sources are added
- Integration with EPMS is enhanced
- New report types are available
- Best practices evolve based on customer feedback
- Talent pool types or functionality changes
- Bench strength scoring algorithm updates
- Stagnation risk thresholds are modified
- Employee comparison attributes are added
- New filters or views are added to existing features
Last updated: December 2025
New features added in this version:
- Bench Strength Dashboard with overall readiness grades
- Internal Talent Pools (Diversity, Skills-Based, Saved Groups)
- Talent Reports with time-in-role and stagnation risk analytics
- Employee Comparison (Talent Reviews) with side-by-side evaluation
- EPMS-based performance integration in 9-Box Matrix
- Department filtering in 9-Box Matrix
- Skills comparison matrix in employee comparison