This paper aims to examine why many organizations fail to build strong leadership pipelines despite capable leaders. It reframes succession planning as a legacy-driven responsibility linking leadership development to continuity and social goals.
Drawing from agency, human capital and succession theories, the paper presents the LEGACY Model – a six-pillar framework developed through conceptual synthesis of recent research. The model integrates mentoring, transparency and incentive alignment and connects explicitly to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 and 8.
Ego, misaligned incentives and short-term thinking often hinder succession. Embedding legacy thinking, aligning incentives and maintaining visibility strengthen succession outcomes and talent continuity.
As a conceptually grounded study, the framework would benefit from empirical validation. Future research should test LEGACY’s indicators and SDG linkages across sectors and cultural settings.
It provides leaders with tools for early talent identification, dual career paths and transparent metrics, positioning succession as a continuous, socially responsible process.
The LEGACY Model shows how each pillar contributes to SDGs 4 and 8.
