Raffles Medical: succession planning question

FOR the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack. These Rudyard Kipling's words hold true even outside the jungle in the corporate world.

One can argue that the success of a company depends not just on its current leader but the team backing the captain. The smooth functioning of an organisation hinges on a team capable of working in unison to achieve its objectives. The reverse, of course, also holds true. Without a strong leader, even an "A" team will not go as far as it ought to.

But for long-term sustainable success, an organisation needs more than just a strong man at the helm and a strong team. Here is where succession planning comes in. It is a challenge facing many companies and, at the risk of stating the obvious, not to plan is to plan for failure.