Why your strongest leaders are your highest exposure
Dependence on a trusted leader can create concentrated risk. Capability does not make someone immune to excessive demands.
The performance question
The title describes a possibility, not a universal ranking of leaders. Your most relied upon executive may hold exceptional relationships and approval authority, making every new problem arrive at the same desk. That concentration deserves review even when performance remains strong.
What the evidence supports
HSE warns that additional activities can gradually increase workload and that staffing assessment must consider how people are used. FRC Principle J calls for effective succession planning for boards and senior management within the Code’s scope.12
A practical approach
Map the commitments that depend on one leader’s knowledge, signature or relationships. Ask what would stop during a two week absence. Transfer selected authority, introduce deputies to important stakeholders and document essential context. Give the leader a genuine role in reducing dependency rather than framing the exercise as doubt about their capability.
How to review progress
Test one period of planned cover and review unresolved items afterwards. A deputy named on a chart is not evidence of readiness. Check access, competence and available time, and protect confidential material when sharing knowledge.
Sources and references
- Human factors: Workload Opens in a new tab
Health and Safety Executive
Processing limits, task analysis, workload drift and staffing
- UK Corporate Governance Code 2024 Opens in a new tab
Financial Reporting Council
Application; Principles A, E, F, I, J and O; Provisions 2, 5, 6, 17, 28 and 29
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