Jeffery Whippo, Ph.D., D.B.A who is an expert in the subject of leadership, states that one of the most critical tasks of an organization is to cultivate its leadership development pipeline. He says that successful companies have found that by combining succession planning and leadership development in to a “development pipeline”, they are able to create a process for the long-term management of the talent roster across the organization. Jeffery further explains that the Development Pipeline must function in collaboration with the company’s leadership development program, if one exists. Dr. Jeff Whippo says that the Development Pipeline and the Leadership programs within the organization have to ensure that there is alignment on competencies, work values, and time applications which are commensurate with their positions so that failures in demonstrating established competencies can be identified quickly.