Key-Person Continuity One-Pager
Name a deputy and document the handoff before a critical person is absent
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 93%
Identify every role whose short absence would interrupt essential work, including the founder's role. For each one, name a second in command and create a concise one-page handoff explaining what the deputy must keep running, where essential information lives, and which decisions may need attention. Review the handoff with both people before it is needed and confirm that access is practical rather than assumed. The mechanism converts hidden key-person dependency into an explicit temporary operating path. It does not attempt to document every responsibility or replace a full continuity plan; its value is speed and clarity during a short disruption. The transcript also separates operational coverage from leadership's responsibility to support a team member going through a difficult period.
Origin
Extracted from The Foundr Podcast
Core principles
- 01Critical roles need a named second in command
- 02A short usable handoff beats an undocumented assumption
- 03Continuity planning should include the founder
- 04Operational preparation and human support are separate duties
How to run it
- 1
Map critical roles
List the roles whose temporary absence would stop essential delivery, decisions, or communication. Include the founder and other senior roles.
Pro tip Start with roles that hold unique access, authority, or customer knowledge.
Watch out Job title alone may not reveal the real point of dependency.
- 2
Name the deputy
Assign a second in command who can step in temporarily for each critical role. Make the choice explicit to everyone involved.
Pro tip Choose based on practical capability and access, not seniority alone.
Watch out Do not name someone who lacks the capacity or authority to act.
- 3
Write the one-pager
Document the essential responsibilities, active priorities, information locations, and immediate decisions the deputy may inherit. Keep it short enough to use under pressure.
Pro tip Link to live records instead of copying details that will become stale.
Watch out A long manual that nobody has reviewed will not create fast continuity.
- 4
Verify access
Confirm the deputy can reach the tools, records, and people required for the temporary role. Resolve access gaps before an absence occurs.
Pro tip Walk through one realistic first-day scenario together.
Watch out Never share credentials insecurely in the name of continuity.
- 5
Review the handoff
Have the role owner and deputy check the plan and update it as responsibilities change. Keep the human support plan separate from the operational handoff.
Pro tip Add continuity review to an existing operating cadence.
Watch out Operational coverage does not replace care for an absent colleague.
In the wild
Foundr discussed who would take over if a key team member were unavailable for two weeks. The team created one-page documents and named a second in command for roles such as head of marketing; it also considered who would step into the chief executive role if Nathan were absent.
→ The team had an explicit temporary owner for critical roles instead of improvising after an absence.
Common mistakes
Excluding the founder
Founder dependency can be the largest continuity risk, so the chief executive role belongs in the exercise.
Naming a deputy without access
A nominal second in command cannot operate if information, authority, or tools remain unavailable.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for lean teams where important knowledge or authority sits with one person.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal as a complete business-continuity, employment, or health-response plan.
From the transcript
“if a key 40 00 member of the team is off sick who's the person that can take on that role”
“here's the one pager so if the head of marketing is off for two weeks who's the - I see who's the second in charge”
From the episode
294: Responding to COVID-19: What Entrepreneurs Should Be Doing Right Now