Why Premature Power Struggles Happen (and How to Prevent Them)

The Succession Planning Tug-of-War: When founders wait too long to plan, what looks like a power grab is often just delayed transition.

When a frustrated founder recently confessed, "I tried to develop a successor, but they tried to take over!," it revealed a critical truth: premature power struggles often signal delayed planning, not ambitious successors.

This is Succession Planning for Impact Pitfall #7: Failure to plan early enough.

This scenario mirrors ​Henry’s​ story from Succession Planning for Impact—a leader whose identity was so fused with his business that he couldn’t imagine it thriving without him. 

Like 70% of businesses (Harvard Business Review), his company risked collapse because he waited too long to plan.

Why Successors “Rush the Throne”

1. Emergency Mode Mentality When succession planning starts late (e.g., ​Jake at 77​), successors feel compelled to act urgently. When transition planning becomes ‘urgent,’ it’s often too late for a thoughtful handoff.

   
   

2. Bottled-Up Leadership Hunger Competent successors denied decision-making opportunities (like ​Jim in the warehouse​) often erupt with pent-up ideas. Without gradual authority, they overcompensate.

1. Founder Identity Crisis ​Leaders like Don​—whose face adorned all marketing materials—interpret normal succession steps as existential threats. Founders who fear losing influence, status, and relevance can paralyze transitions.

How to Prevent Premature Takeovers (& Power Struggles)

1. Start Early-Before You Think You Need To

• Begin succession conversations decades before retirement (Step 1: Confront Your Fears)

• Example: ​Scott’s fourth-generation family business leaders​ took intentional absences for hunting/fishing, creating “margin for next-gen leaders to develop skills.”

2. Phase Leadership Development

• Think “runner’s boxes” in relay races (Step 6: Pass the Baton):

  • Delegate non-critical projects first

  • Allow controlled failures (e.g., ​Mabry’s successors​ learned through small missteps)

  • Gradually increase authority over 5-10 years

3. Build a Real Team, Not a Figurehead Board

• Avoid the mistake of ​creating an ornamental board​. Instead:

  • Include truth-tellers who ask hard questions (Step 2: Establish Your Team)

  • Rotate successors through roles to test competence (Step 5: Develop Leaders)

4. Reframe Your Role

• Shift from operator to ​encourager-in-chief​ (Step 7: Finish Well). Your biggest role after passing the baton is to cheer on the next runner.

The Cost of Waiting

​Hubert’s story is a cautionary tale​: Buyers withdrew offers when they realized his $100M business had no team to sustain it without him. Contrast this with companies/entrepreneurs that:

• Start succession planning in their 40s/50s

• Build redundancy in key roles

• Celebrate successors’ wins (like ​Hugh’s team,​ which adopted a mission to “reward every team member”)

Your Action Plan

1. Have “The Conversation” This Month Use ​Succession Planning for Impact’s​framework:

   • “As founder, what concerns you about transitioning your role?” (Conversation #1)

   • “How will we develop leaders who eclipse our history?” (Conversation #5)

     
     

2. Test Successors Early Let them manage a small budget, lead a project, or handle vendor negotiations.

“Your questions force the team to dig deeper for answers.”

Final Thought: Premature takeovers aren’t always about “disloyal” successors—they can be about leaders who waited too long to share power. As Succession Planning for Impact reminds us:

“You will either give up your keys by choice or have them taken by circumstance.”

Need help starting? Don’t let Succession Planning Pitfall #7 kill your legacy.

Email ​harryt@​​cultivatingimpact.biz​ with “Succession SOS” for a free consultation. Your legacy deserves more than a rushed handoff.

Harry T. Jones