PLAN FOR THE FUTURE WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING IN LEADERSHIP
- Christopher Adams
- Jul 22, 2025
- 1 min read
When Steve Jobs realized he wouldn’t outrun cancer, he still made one final leadership decision—naming Tim Cook as Apple’s next CEO. This post is a call to every leader: plan for the future you won’t be part of. Mentor, train, and prepare the next generation—because now never lasts. Succession planning in leadership is not about titles; it’s about mentorship, shaping instincts, and ensuring your organization thrives beyond you.
He was dying—but wouldn’t accept it.
A hospital bed was brought into his home.
He said, “There’ll be more; I’ll get to the next lily pad; I’ll outrun the cancer.”
But he didn’t.
The world was stunned when Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, passed away on October 5, 2011.
And yet—Jobs knew.
How do we know?
Just a month before, he named Tim Cook CEO of Apple.
Even if Jobs couldn’t fully accept his own fate, he made sure Apple was ready for a future without him.
You must plan for what’s next—because “now” never lasts.
And no, it’s not just about scribbling a name on paper.
It’s about mentorship.
Does your successor really understand the heartbeat of the organization?
Have you poured into them as a leader?
Have you walked them through the books and principles that shaped you?
Have you sharpened their instincts?
No one lasts forever.
But if you lead well—you’ll prepare others to carry on.
You owe it to your team. You owe it to the mission. You owe it to the vision.
Be like Steve.
Have a plan. Put people in place.Train and mentor them.
Do that, and your organisation will outlive you.
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