EXPLORING FACTORS AFFECTING SUCCESSION PLANNING IN UNITED STATES MUNICIPALITIES

Despite widespread recognition of its importance, succession planning in the public sector—particularly in municipal government—remains inconsistently practiced, poorly institutionalized, and fraught with political and cultural resistance. This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explores the lived experiences of eleven senior municipal leaders to understand how succession planning is perceived, enacted, and obstructed in local government contexts. Rooted in human resource development (HRD) theory and guided by the methodological principles of IPA, this study uncovers the psychological, structural, and cultural forces that shape the realities of leadership transition in the public sector. The analysis yielded six interdependent thematic domains: leadership commitment, strategic systems thinking, organizational culture, operational barriers, talent development practices, and equity and inclusion. These themes were synthesized into a conceptual model organized around the construct of succession as stewardship—a reframing of succession planning as an ethical leadership responsibility rather than a technical HR exercise. Within this model, leadership commitment serves as the activating condition, strategic systems thinking functions as the structuring mechanism, and organizational culture moderates the strength and sustainability of succession efforts. When these conditions align, succession planning moves beyond symbolic compliance to produce measurable outcomes in talent readiness, operational continuity, and leadership equity. The study contributes to HRD scholarship by offering a theoretically grounded and phenomenologically informed model that highlights succession planning as a systems-level, justice-oriented practice. It also lays the foundation for future research, including the development of measurement instruments to assess succession readiness and comparative studies across sectors. Practically, the model equips HRD professionals and public-sector leaders with a diagnostic and developmental framework to evaluate and embed succession practices within organizational culture and infrastructure. Ultimately, this study positions succession planning not as an optional or episodic event, but as a sustained act of stewardship—rooted in humility, legacy, and the public trust.