Beyond the CV

How Behavioural Insights Can Transform Succession Planning

Succession planning has long been a key consideration for organisations that want to thrive, not just survive. For many businesses, the process of identifying and developing future leaders is built around a traditional set of criteria: qualifications, experience, performance metrics and role-specific skills. While these are undeniably important, focusing solely on them overlooks one of the most critical factors in leadership success ‘behaviour’.

Two individuals may present identical CVs, hold the same qualifications and demonstrate equally impressive track records, but that doesn’t mean they’ll lead in the same way. Leadership is deeply personal, shaped not just by knowledge but by how individuals communicate, what drives them and how they respond under pressure. These behavioural differences can have a profound impact on team dynamics, company culture and ultimately, business outcomes.

So how do you get beneath the surface of a CV to truly understand whether someone is the right fit to lead your organisation into the future?

The Missing Link in Succession Planning

The best succession plans look beyond job titles and tick-box qualifications. They explore the interpersonal and psychological elements that influence how a person behaves at work, especially in times of change, challenge or growth. These qualities can’t be inferred from a LinkedIn profile or a glowing reference. They require a deeper, structured understanding of what makes a person tick. This is where Everything DiSC comes into play.

Everything DiSC is a psychometric assessment tool developed to help individuals and organisations understand behaviour in the workplace. Based on decades of psychological research, it provides insights into communication preferences, motivators, decision-making styles and stress responses.

Rather than placing people into rigid categories, DiSC uses a framework that shows how individuals fall along a continuum of behavioural traits. The four primary dimensions – Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness – offer a lens through which to view personality and work style. More importantly, it enables organisations to map out how different individuals are likely to lead, manage others and react under pressure.

Why Behavioural Insight Matters in Leadership

Leadership is more than just directing a team it’s about inspiring, adapting, empathising and delivering results through others. Understanding a potential leader’s behavioural profile helps answer questions like:

• How do they respond to conflict?
• Do they prefer quick decisions or thorough analysis?
• How do they inspire and motivate others?
• What kind of environment helps them thrive?
• How do they manage stress or uncertainty?

These are not theoretical concerns they are everyday realities for leaders. By incorporating Everything DiSC into your succession planning strategy, you get a data-informed way to evaluate and develop leadership potential in a much more nuanced way.

Case in Point: Same Skills, Different Styles

Imagine you’re evaluating two candidates for a future senior leadership role. Both have similar educational backgrounds and equivalent years of experience. On paper, they are equals. But a closer look at their DiSC profiles reveals key differences.

• Candidate A has high Dominance and Influence scores. They’re bold, results-driven and thrive in fast-paced, competitive environments. They’re likely to take charge, push for rapid change and energise a team through passion and drive.
• Candidate B, on the other hand, scores high in Steadiness and Conscientiousness. They’re methodical, consistent and excel at creating structure and stability. Their leadership style will be calm, inclusive and well-organised.

Both profiles bring value, but they’re suited to very different contexts. Candidate A may be ideal for a turnaround project or a rapid-growth phase, while Candidate B might be perfect for maintaining and nurturing a high-performing team through incremental change. Without behavioural insights, you may never fully understand these distinctions and risk putting the wrong person in the wrong role.

Culture Fit and Long-Term Vision

Succession planning isn’t just about replacing roles. It’s about nurturing the next generation of leaders who will embody and evolve your company’s values, vision and culture. This is especially important in today’s dynamic, multigenerational workplaces, where leadership styles need to be flexible, inclusive and aligned with evolving employee expectations.

Understanding behavioural preferences allows organisations to better match leaders with the teams and challenges they’ll face. It also supports more effective coaching, mentoring and leadership development programmes, tailored to the unique needs of the individual.

Planning for the Future, Not Just the Now

Succession planning tends to become urgent only when a senior figure announces their departure or unexpected vacancies occur. But real success comes from proactive, not reactive, planning. With Everything DiSC embedded into your long-term talent strategy, you can start identifying potential leaders earlier, often in roles or departments you might not have considered.

This broader, more inclusive approach helps to surface hidden talent, promote diversity in leadership and reduce the risks of ‘group think’ that can come from promoting in one’s own image.

It also provides current leaders with a clearer roadmap for nurturing future successors. With behavioural data at their fingertips, managers can give more targeted feedback, provide relevant stretch opportunities and create development plans that build on natural strengths rather than pushing people into moulds that don’t fit.

Behavioural Insight = Smarter Decisions

The benefits of including behavioural insight in succession planning are clear:

• Better alignment between leaders and organisational needs
• Improved employee engagement, as individuals feel seen and supported
• Stronger culture, through consistent, value-aligned leadership
• Reduced risk, by avoiding mismatches that can lead to turnover or conflict
• Greater diversity, by recognising that great leadership comes in many forms

Final Thought: Are You Looking Beyond the CV?

As the pace of change continues to accelerate, the demands on leaders will only grow. Technical skills and experience will always matter but they are no longer enough on their own. Behavioural insight gives you the power to plan for the future with greater clarity, confidence and care.

When you next consider your succession planning strategy, ask yourself this:

Are you looking beyond the CV?

Join us for our next HR Hour where Kevin Watson will be leading an interactive discussion around this very topic.