Organisations have never invested more in leadership development. Yet many continue to look outside for senior talent. For Santosh Rudrawar, Group CHRO, Sanjay Ghodawat Group, the issue is not a shortage of high performers. It is the widening gap between individual excellence and leadership readiness.
In an interview with People Matters, Rudrawar explained why succession planning is becoming more complex, what organisations often overlook when identifying future leaders, and why managers are central to building stronger leadership pipelines in an era of rapid workforce change.
Performance and leadership are not the same
One of the biggest misconceptions organisations make is equating strong performance with leadership capability.
As Rudrawar put it, "High performance in a technical or functional role does not automatically translate into leadership success."
He said one of the biggest challenges is helping employees move beyond delivering individual results.
According to Rudrawar, future leaders must develop capabilities including:
- The ability to shift from individual contribution to influencing and empowering others
- Strategic thinking
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Managing ambiguity and change
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
- The capacity to inspire and engage diverse teams
He noted these gaps often emerge because career development focuses primarily on technical mastery instead of broader leadership capability.
"Organisations need to provide real-world leadership experiences, coaching, and feedback early on to bridge these gaps and prepare future leaders for the complexities of leadership roles," he said.
Leadership pipelines are under pressure
Succession planning has become more difficult because organisations are operating in increasingly unpredictable environments.
According to Rudrawar, "The acceleration of technology, market disruptions, and evolving business models mean that the leadership skills required today can quickly become outdated."
He added that workforce mobility and changing employee expectations have made talent pipelines significantly more fluid.
"Even when organisations invest in leadership development, internal candidates may not always be ready or available when opportunities arise, prompting companies to look externally."
To remain competitive, he said organisations need "a culture of continuous development and adaptability", ensuring leadership pipelines remain as agile as the markets they operate in.
Potential matters more than present performance
Rudrawar believes organisations should stop evaluating employees solely on current performance when identifying future leaders.
Instead, leadership potential should be assessed through qualities that remain valuable even as business needs evolve.
He highlighted several characteristics organisations should prioritise:
- Learning agility
- Adaptability
- Resilience
- The ability to lead through uncertainty
He also pointed to modern assessment methods including behavioural interviews, 360-degree feedback and stretch assignments as practical ways to identify leadership capability before employees move into senior roles.
According to Rudrawar, fostering "a culture of open feedback and continuous development ensures that emerging leaders are visible and nurtured, even as organisational needs shift."
Managers shape tomorrow's leaders
Leadership development does not begin in the classroom.
Rudrawar said managers are "best placed to spot potential, provide mentorship, and create development opportunities through challenging assignments."
However, organisations often fail to equip managers with the training, tools and incentives needed to make talent development a priority.
He warned that "Succession planning can become a box-ticking exercise rather than a strategic priority."
To strengthen leadership pipelines, Rudrawar recommended organisations should:
- Embed talent development into managerial KPIs
- Celebrate leaders who develop others
- Create a culture where managers are empowered and accountable for building future leadership capacity
Leadership development must become continuous
Formal programmes alone are not enough to build a sustainable leadership pipeline.
Drawing on his experience, Rudrawar said leadership acceleration programmes combining classroom learning, mentoring and real business challenges have delivered strong results.
He also highlighted:
- Structured rotational assignments across functions and geographies
- Regular talent reviews involving senior leadership
- Digital platforms supporting continuous learning
- Internal mobility to respond to changing business needs
According to Rudrawar, lasting impact comes from "making leadership development an ongoing, visible commitment" supported by senior leaders and embedded into organisational culture.
Succession planning is entering a new phase
Looking ahead, Rudrawar expects succession planning to become more data-driven, agile and inclusive.
He said businesses operating with flatter organisational structures, hybrid work models and rapid digital transformation will require different approaches to leadership planning.
Future succession strategies, he said, will increasingly rely on real-time talent analytics, AI-powered assessments and more transparent career pathways. Leadership bench strength will also extend beyond traditional senior roles to broader segments of the organisation.
For organisations preparing for constant business change, Rudrawar sees succession planning becoming an ongoing strategic process focused on adaptability, continuous growth and leadership readiness rather than a periodic HR exercise.