The Day No One Plans For

You think you’re ready for anything in a job, until someone walks out the door and leaves you holding the bag.

I'm not talking about the two-week notice kind of exit. It’s the “I have to leave…tomorrow” kind of exit. And trust me, that day will test more than your organization.

Early in my career, I worked at a company with a manager I really respected. Not my manager directly, just someone whose leadership I admired. He had a way of running a team that made you think, these people are going to be here forever. He trusted them, he celebrated them, he even seemed to believe loyalty would outlast life’s curveballs.

Then one day, the curveball hit.

One of his employees suddenly had to move out of state to care for a sick family member. Her last day? Tomorrow. No transition. No warning. Just a whirlwind of deadlines, responsibilities, and stress landing squarely on his (and the team’s) shoulders.

I watched him scramble. Not angry. Not frustrated. Just…stunned. The team felt it immediately. People stayed late, worked harder, tried to fill the gap. No one really knew what they were supposed to do. And in that moment, I realized something: leadership isn’t measured by how you manage the smooth days; it’s measured by how you survive the ones no one sees coming.

Looking back, there were things this manager could have done differently. Small changes that would have made a world of difference. And more importantly, lessons any company, no matter the size or role, can take to prevent chaos when someone suddenly leaves.

Succession Planning Isn’t Just for Executives

Most people think succession planning is about CEOs or directors. That’s where the fancy charts live. But the truth is, succession planning is for everyone.

Entry-level, mid-level, senior leadership...it doesn’t matter. Because when someone leaves unexpectedly, chaos doesn’t check titles.

An entry-level employee leaving might slow down processes or customer responses. A mid-level person leaving can stall projects and drain institutional knowledge. A senior leader leaving? That can shake confidence, freeze decisions, and leave teams wondering what just happened. Different impact, same problem: the organization wasn’t ready.

Lessons You Can Actually Use (Trust Me, I've Done These...They Work!)

1. Knowledge Can’t Live in One Head
One of the biggest mistakes I saw was assuming someone else would “just know” how to do the work. Don’t let knowledge be a secret weapon. Ask employees this simple question once a year: If you were gone for two weeks, what would break? Then fix those gaps before they actually leave.

2. Shadowing Isn’t Optional
Wait until someone resigns to have a backup? Too late. Rotate meeting ownership, let people sit in on decisions they don’t run, and cross-train where it matters. People feel trusted, empowered, and yes, a little cooler when they see the bigger picture.

3. Talk About Career Plans (Even the Ones That Might Lead Away)
It sounds counterintuitive, right? But if people feel safe saying, “I might leave,” you gain time. Time to prepare, time to cover responsibilities, time to ensure the team isn’t blindsided. Supporting growth, even if it doesn’t keep them around forever, builds trust.

4. Don’t Forget the Senior Roles
Even leaders who seem irreplaceable need a plan. Document priorities, decisions, and what can’t wait. Assign interim decision-makers. Because when a senior person leaves without notice, those small details are the difference between calm and chaos.

Why Succession Planning Is Really About Respect

Here’s the thing: succession planning isn’t about replacing people. It’s about respecting them.

Succession planning means:

• Your work matters.
• Your team won’t crumble if life happens.
• We can handle change without panic.

People will leave. Sometimes with notice. Sometimes without. The question isn’t if. It’s whether your organization is ready. And that choice is made long before anyone says goodbye.