Succession planning is one of those things that often gets talked about, agreed as important, and then quietly pushed down the priority list in favour of more immediate pressures, but in reality, it is one of the most practical and business-critical responsibilities any leader has.

Because if one of your key people handed in their notice tomorrow, what would actually happen? Would the business continue to run smoothly, or would you suddenly find yourself exposed, trying to fill a gap while keeping everything else on track?

Too often in events and hospitality, we only start thinking seriously about succession when someone leaves, and by that point it becomes reactive rather than strategic, with teams under pressure to recruit quickly while maintaining standards and continuity. That is not planning, it is firefighting.

For me, succession planning is much simpler than it is often made out to be, because it is not about pushing people out of roles or making assumptions about when someone might move on, but about ensuring the business is resilient enough to keep performing and evolving, regardless of change.

No business should ever be dependent on one individual. That applies just as much to operational and specialist roles as it does to senior leadership, whether that is a General Manager, someone in sales, maintenance, finance, kitchens, or a niche support function. If you have not thought about what happens when that person moves on, then you are carrying a risk, whether you recognise it or not.

Good leaders do recognise it, and more importantly, they take ownership of it. That does not mean having a perfect replacement ready for every role, because that is not always realistic, but it does mean understanding where your gaps are, where your risks sit, and where your future talent is coming from - and that is where visibility becomes critical.

One of the biggest challenges in our industry is that people often look at those in senior roles and assume that is simply where they ended up, without seeing the years of groundwork behind it, the sideways moves, the learning curves, the setbacks, and the resilience it takes to build a career. If people cannot see that journey, it becomes much harder for them to believe that progression is possible for them too; if people cannot see a future, they are far less likely to stay.

This is why succession planning is not just about protecting the business, but about engaging and retaining your people, because when individuals can see a path ahead, and understand that development is accessible rather than exclusive, they are far more likely to invest in their own growth and in the organisation around them.

At The Venues Collection, apprenticeships have become a key part of how we bring that to life, not as a standalone initiative, but as part of a wider culture of development and progression. The perception of apprenticeships has shifted significantly over recent years, and what we are seeing now is that they are no longer just an entry point for school leavers, but a meaningful development route for people already within the business. In fact, the majority of our apprentices are existing team members who are choosing to build their skills, gain confidence, and prepare themselves for the next step in their careers.

That might be someone in sales developing into a leadership role, someone in operations stepping up into management, or individuals in maintenance, food and beverage or support functions broadening their expertise, and in doing so gaining a clearer sense of where they want to go next.

Over the past year, we have seen a number of our team successfully complete their programmes, with several progressing straight into further development or new roles, and that ongoing cycle of learning and progression creates momentum across the business, not just for those directly involved but for the wider team who can see what is possible - because when people see someone like them progressing, it makes that journey feel achievable.

Not everybody wants to keep moving up, and that is absolutely fine. Some people are really happy in the role they are doing - they are brilliant at it, and they are a huge part of what makes a team work. We need those people just as much as we need the ones who are actively looking for the next step.

For me, succession planning is not about putting pressure on everyone to follow the same route, it is about understanding what people actually want, being honest about what is possible, and helping them get there in a way that works for them.

I have always believed my job as a leader is to help people achieve what they want to achieve. Sometimes that means helping someone move into a bigger role within the business, and sometimes it means helping them build confidence, gain experience, or work out what they want next. That starts with spotting potential early and then giving people the support to do something with it.

The key is to start before you need to. Succession planning should not begin when a resignation lands on your desk, but should be part of how you lead every day, in how you recruit, how you develop your teams, and how you think about the future of your business; because businesses do not stand still, and neither do people.

The strongest organisations are not the ones that react quickest when something changes, but the ones that are already prepared for it, because they have invested in their people, understood their risks, and created clear pathways for growth.

Ultimately, that comes back to one simple question every leader should be able to answer:

If someone left tomorrow, who is next? If you do not know, now is the time to start thinking about it.