Who should take the professional services diagnostic?

The diagnostic is designed for managing partners, senior partners, designated successors, and firm administrators at accounting, law, consulting, and advisory firms. It can be completed by a single stakeholder or by multiple people independently. When different roles complete it separately (for example, the outgoing partner and the designated successor) the gaps between their answers reveal alignment risks that would otherwise remain hidden.

How is this different from a traditional succession plan?

Traditional succession plans focus on legal structure, ownership transfer, and timelines. This diagnostic focuses on execution risk: whether clients, revenue, leadership responsibilities, and institutional knowledge can actually transfer. The difference is between having a plan and knowing whether the firm is transferable.

Is this relevant if we are considering a sale or PE investment rather than internal succession?

Yes. The diagnostic evaluates firm transferability regardless of exit path. The same factors that determine whether a firm can transition internally (partner dependency, client concentration, operational independence, leadership depth) are exactly what PE firms and acquirers evaluate during due diligence. Building the controllable foundation benefits every scenario.

How long does the diagnostic take and what do I receive?

The diagnostic takes approximately 15 minutes. It produces a branded readiness report with scores across all categories within Business Attractiveness and Business Transferability, a quadrant view showing where the firm sits across both dimensions, specific risk identification, and prioritized next steps. This is a quick check designed to surface where the risks are. Full institutional-grade assessments are available for firms that need decision-grade data.

What is the difference between this diagnostic and the full Business Transition Readiness Assessment?

The diagnostic is a 15-minute quick check that surfaces where the gaps are. The full Business Transition Readiness Assessment is an institutional-grade evaluation that quantifies those gaps across every dimension with decision-grade data. Most firms start with the diagnostic to identify areas of concern and then move to the full assessment where deeper analysis is needed.

Professional Services Transition Readiness Diagnostic | Succession Strength

Your Firm Is Built Around Relationships. The Question Is Whether They Can Transfer.

A 15-minute diagnostic that measures whether your firm can sustain its value through leadership change across Business Attractiveness and Business Transferability.

Applicable whether the firm is preparing for internal succession, evaluating PE interest, or positioning for sale.

Start the Diagnostic Back to Professional Services

Professional Services Transition Readiness Diagnostic

Who This Is For

For partners, successors, and firm leaders who need a clear view of transition readiness before a leadership change, sale, or PE event.

Managing and Senior Partners

See where client relationships, strategic knowledge, and authority are still concentrated.

Designated Successors

See what still needs to transfer before the transition is real.

Firm Administrators and Partners Evaluating Strategic Options

Surface the same readiness gaps that can derail succession or show up in due diligence.

Why Firms Start Here

Dependency is easy to underestimate

Client relationships, knowledge, and authority often remain concentrated in a few people.

A plan does not prove readiness

The diagnostic tests whether the firm can actually transfer, not whether a document exists.

Buyers will test the same risks

Transferability gaps affect internal succession, PE readiness, and sale outcomes.

What the Diagnostic Evaluates

Two dimensions answer one question: can the firm sustain its value through leadership change?

Dimension 1

Business Attractiveness

Whether the firm is operationally and financially strong enough to hold value regardless of who leads it.

Dimension 2

Business Transferability

Whether clients, knowledge, authority, and leadership can transfer without damaging the firm.

What You Receive

A structured readiness report showing where the firm is strong, exposed, and what to address next.

Readiness Score Per Category

Scored results across Attractiveness and Transferability.

Attractiveness vs Transferability Positioning

A visual showing where the firm sits across both dimensions.

Risk Identification

The highest-priority transition risks surfaced from your responses.

Recommended Next Steps

Prioritized actions based on the highest-impact gaps.

What the Research Shows

Our longitudinal research found that transition readiness is not improving at the same pace as succession planning. The most actionable gaps are successor readiness, client transfer, and leadership capability.

Read the full findings in The Succession Paradox.