Succession Planning: Lessons from football for business success

Businesses can learn valuable succession planning lessons from football, says NLT Training Services.

The 2025 football transfer window — open briefly from 1 to 10 June and again from 16 June to 1 September — offers clubs a critical chance to strengthen squads and plan for the future.

England’s Lionesses highlight the importance of this planning. Manager Sarina Wiegman must reshape her squad for the European Championships in July following the loss of key players Mary Earps, Fran Kirby, and Millie Bright.

In the men’s game, Liverpool FC faces a new era under head coach Arne Slot after winning the Premier League. With Klopp’s departure, Slot’s task is to evolve the squad while preserving success, a real-time test of long-term succession strategy.

Football clubs invest heavily in future-proofing — Premier League teams spent nearly £395m during the winter transfer window alone. Yet many UK businesses fall short. According to a report from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), in partnership with YouGov, British firms continue to underinvest in management training.

This underinvestment will financially damage not only businesses but also the UK economy. The CMI report highlights a concerning reality that nearly a third (30%) of UK managers have not undertaken any management or leadership development in the past three years.

Like football, business success depends on identifying and preparing talent early. Succession planning isn’t a one-off event — it’s a continuous process.

Just like football clubs use transfer windows to assess and secure talent, businesses should regularly evaluate their own leadership and management capabilities. Succession planning is continuous process that ensures the right people, with the right skills, are in place to drive success through every transition.

Sarah Temperton, Chief Executive of NLT Training Services, emphasised the importance of investing in management training: “Businesses that prioritise management training not only improve their own performance but also contribute to the wider economy. At NLT, we see first-hand how equipping managers with the right skills transforms organisations and fosters growth.”

She warned businesses not to cut back on training saying: “With businesses under increased financial pressure following changes to the minimum wage and NI, the temptation is to roll back training budgets. This is the wrong approach. Now, more than ever, firms ensure their managers are ready for the challenges ahead.”

Underinvestment in human capital – skills, knowledge, and health – is proven to be a significant factor impacting the UK’s poor productivity performance. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has found that worker productivity is a greater drag on the UK’s economy than capital investments.

Yael Selfin, Chief Economist at KPMG UK, has also warned: “Long-term UK economic growth will depend on the effective implementation of the Modern Industrial Strategy and the ability of the National Wealth Fund to identify and invest in high-impact projects. The success of these initiatives will be critical in determining whether public investment can translate into sustained economic growth.”

The new modern industrial strategy – Invest 2035 – is the UK government’s 10-year plan to deliver the certainty and stability businesses need to invest in the high-growth sectors that will drive our growth mission.

Investment in training and skills, alongside research and development (R&D) and capital resources, is widely recognised as a key driver of economic growth. However, CMI’s analysis of Labour Force Survey data from the ONS reveals several alarming trends:

1. The UK needs to increase management job adverts requiring high-level management skills by 10% to close the gap with the world’s most productive economies.
2. Over 120,000 additional managers will need to be recruited by 2030.
3. The UK’s health sector appears to undervalue skilled managers compared to other industries, a critical oversight given the sector’s importance.

Research has consistently shown that companies with better-trained managers not only perform more effectively but are also more resilient during market turbulence. Yet, despite this clear evidence, many UK firms continue to underinvest in management training, a decision that could have dire financial consequences not just for individual businesses, but for the UK economy as a whole.

Recognised and accredited CMI Leadership and Management training is designed to equip managers with the skills they need to thrive as well as develop staff into managers.

Ahead of embarking on the full courses, CMI offers modular Bitesize courses, which are an excellent way to ‘test the water’ before committing to a full Level 5 qualification. These ‘snapshot’ modules can be undertaken in three months, via remote learning, and enable the learner to prepare themselves for undertaking a full qualification.

Sarah explained: “For many learners, they may not have done any study or written essays since they left school, so Bitesize is a perfect way for both individuals and their employers to decide whether the increased time and financial investment would be right for them.”

A CMI success story: Adam’s journey

Adam Cox’s CMI experience demonstrates the transformative potential of NLT’s CMI programmes. With support from an NLT tutor, Adam successfully completed his Level 5 Leadership and Management qualification in just six months. This achievement not only boosted his confidence but also significantly improved his ability to lead his team effectively.

“The practical nature of the course made it easier for me to apply what I learned directly to my role,” explained Adam. “The modular approach helped me manage my time while seeing immediate benefits in my work.”

He also praised his employer, adding: “My employer was incredibly supportive of me doing the course as they recognised that the knowledge I gained from the qualification could be passed onto other managers within the business.”

Invest in leadership and management training today

UK businesses must wake up to the necessity of investing in leadership and management training. Without well-trained managers, companies risk underperformance, and falling down the local, national and global competitor league table.

In addition to CMI Bitesize, NLT Training Services offers Levels 3, 5, 6 and 7 accredited CMI courses, designed to empower managers at all levels – from aspiring manager to established directors, to lead with confidence and competence.

By investing in management training now, businesses can secure a more prosperous future for themselves and the UK economy as a whole.

To learn more about how NLT Training Services can support your business with leadership and management training, visit here or contact Peter Aderoju, NLT’s sales and marketing executive on 0333 880 3540.