Succession & Sustainability Planning - What's the Problem???

I've been an advocate of succession planning even before I knew I was. I would always put projects, or even my corporate function, into a handbook. My attitude was "if I get hit by a truck, someone needs to be able to pick up a book and know what I was working on, and what has to be done." That's when I also adopted the expression "The stations of the cross may be a mystery, but your job shouldn't be." So now I am researching succession planning - and sustainability. Mentoring your replacement, blah blah blah.
I worked with a lot of people who thought what I advocated threatened job security. I watched how people would scamper about to figure out what a former employee was working on - or what had to be done. What projects were at risk, and so on. Which might also explain why I'm still seeing how companies are struggling with succession planning and sustainability models -- it may inherently present an internal conflict to a culture that nurtures secrecy helps job security. "The need me" mentality.
Anyway, in my research, I came across a paper "Succession Planning & Management and Leadership Sustainability Through Professional Learning Communities" by WB Hall. It's a terrific 6 page paper that I'd be happy to send you, and while it was written for academia -- the essence and message is just as applicable to the business community and a great message for aspiring leaders. Oh, and I'd like to share a great line from it...

"As educational leaders, we have heard there are no Silver Bullets; or if such bullets do exist, they certainly do not work, are too costly, or are too impractical. I maintain a few Silver Bullets do exist. The problem has always been that we simply have never had a gun capable of firing any of them." WBHall, 2007.

Great line.