The Art of Directorship: CEO Succession

Course Format

This course is divided into seven sections, each of which focuses on a different issue faced by boards when planning for, and dealing with, CEO succession:

1. When Should Boards Discuss CEO Succession?

2. How Does CEO Succession Tie Into Strategy?

3. How Does CEO Succession Planning Relate to Human-Capital Strategy?

4. How Can the Board Mitigate Risk in Succession Planning?

5. What Intangible Qualities Should Boards Assess in CEO Candidates?

6. What Responsibilities Does the Board Have in the Transition Process?

7. How Can Relationship Building Benefit New CEOs?

Each section of the course includes experienced commentary from NACD's director faculty, links to additional tools and resources you may find useful, and opportunities to benchmark your experiences against those of other directors who responded to recent NACD surveys.

As mentioned in the preview video, this course is an up-to-date companion to two major NACD reports: a 2018 brief on CEO Succession Planning by NACD's Nominating and Governance Committee Chair and Risk Oversight Advisory Council, and NACD's 2014 report, Success at the Top: CEO Evaluation and Succession. It is recommended that you have read those reports before you take this course; you'll get more out of this course if you do.

At the end of the course, you will be directed to take a short exam based on these learning objectives. You must pass that exam in order to earn credit from NACD for completing the course. It will take you about one hour to complete each of the sections, although you do not need to finish the course in a single sitting. Rather, when you return the course will resume where you last left off.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you should be able to take the following actions:

1. Identify NACD's guidelines for boards on when it is appropriate to discuss CEO succession planning among company leaders and the board.

2. Identify ways to facilitate CEO succession planning discussions among the board.

3. Identify opportunities for the board and company leaders to consider CEO succession in the context of company strategy.

4. Recognize risks in the CEO succession process.

5. Recall and identify the intangible leadership qualities, which NACD recommends boards assess in CEO candidates.

6. Identify recommended strategies for a successful CEO transition.

7. Differentiate between financial and nonfinancial metrics that may be used to set CEO compensation.

8. Recall recommendations for how directors can position a new CEO for success.

In the event of technical difficulties while navigating this course, please email virtual@NACDonline.org.

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