In today’s dynamic and rapidly evolving business environment, even the most experienced, qualified leaders face significant challenges when transitioning into new leadership roles.
Whether you’re in a nimble startup or a Fortune 500 company, the first three months are critical for establishing your solid foundation for success. Several research studies have shown that 40-50% of leaders fail within their first 18 months. This statistic is alarming. The message is clear: expectations for leadership effectiveness and early value creation are high, yet there is often a substantial gap in onboarding support for new leaders. The first 100 days requires balancing learning with action and relationship building, while establishing strategy and direction. How you approach this critical transition period will shape your entire leadership journey.
While each transition has unique elements, certain fundamental actions consistently lead to success. Start your journey with the “end in mind” and go beyond the onboarding checklist by implementing this LEADS framework to position yourself for long-term impact.
L – Listen: Accelerate Your Learning
Your first instinct might be to prove yourself by making immediate changes. Resist this urge. Instead, conduct a listening tour to gain valuable perspectives and insights. Throughout your onboarding and orientation meetings with your manager, peers, and team, practice three types of listening to accelerate your learning:
- Factual listening: Focus on what is being said—specific goals, objectives, key metrics, projects, and initiatives.
- Contextual listening: Notice what is not being said—hesitations, undercurrents, where people sit in meetings, and informal dynamics.
- Emotional listening: Observe tone, energy, and emotions expressed both verbally and through body language.
Listening will accelerate your ability to integrate quickly, understand cultural norms and unwritten rules, and identify where you can add immediate value.
E – Engage: Build Meaningful Connections
Creating consistent, intentional opportunities for connection is critical. Early relationships form the foundation for both short and long-term success. Getting on the road and attending meetings in person will accelerate relationship building. Establish trusted connections with your boss, your peers, your team, cross-functional leaders, and key stakeholders through both formal and informal interactions. Exceptional leaders know their success is ultimately measured by the success of their team and their ability to collaborate, inspire and influence others. These connections enhance trust, help you understand others’ perspectives, identify areas of alignment, and achieve a sense of belonging. For remote or hybrid teams, consider using platforms that facilitate “coffee chats” to meet colleagues and spark meaningful conversations. Additionally, consider identifying a trusted internal mentor who can accelerate your progress by filling knowledge gaps and providing context about organizational history and dynamics.
A – Align: Ensure Clarity on Expectations and Priorities
Misalignment is one of the primary reasons new leaders struggle. Without clear expectations, you risk investing energy in areas that don’t create value. Schedule a dedicated alignment conversation with your boss within your first two weeks to clearly define what success looks like at 30, 60, and 100 days. Come prepared with specific questions to understand key priorities to focus on, how your performance will be measured, potential obstacles and expectations for your first quarterly business review. Ensure mutual understanding and revisit this alignment regularly as priorities often shift during transitions.
Equally important is creating alignment with your team – set up team sessions to establish shared expectations and goals. Your team needs to understand who you are as a leader—share your values, communication preferences (how quickly you expect responses, preferred channels), decision-making style (what decisions you’ll make versus delegate), and performance expectations. Leverage this opportunity to clarify and communicate how the team’s work connects to achieving broader organizational objectives. This is important because many teams operate without seeing how their daily efforts contribute to company-wide goals. Creating this line-of-sight increases motivation and enables better engagement and decision- making at all levels. Be authentic and intentional with what you share. This isn’t about imposing rigid rules but rather creating transparency around how you operate. When people understand your leadership style and priorities, they won’t be guessing how to work with you effectively.
D – Develop: Focus on Team Growth
Exceptional leaders know their success is ultimately measured by their team’s growth. Prioritize understanding each team member’s aspirations, strengths, and development areas through dedicated one-on-ones. Create a skills matrix mapping of team DNA, working styles and capabilities against future needs. This visualization will help you identify strengths, gaps and untapped potential within your team.
Foster a growth mindset by identifying stretch opportunities that align individual growth with organizational priorities. For example, having someone lead a presentation they’d normally contribute to, or pairing team members with complementary skills on a high-visibility project. These low risk stretches build confidence while delivering business value. Also consider establishing learning rituals like monthly skill-sharing sessions or team book discussions. Most importantly, model continuous growth yourself by openly sharing what you’re learning and areas where you’re developing. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability around their own growth create psychological safety for others to experiment and develop.
S – Succeed: Secure Early Wins, Establish Credibility and a Strategic Plan
Work with your manager and team to select 1-2 meaningful and achievable goals you can deliver in your first 100 days. Choose something visible, valuable to the organization, and attainable. This builds credibility and momentum. The best early wins address a pain point for your team while demonstrating your value to the broader organization. Remember: the size of the win matters less than its significance to stakeholders.
By day 75, you should have established credibility and enough context to develop your vision for the future and create clarity about the path forward. Synthesize everything you’ve learned along with key priorities and develop your strategic roadmap.
- Current State Assessment: Synthesize what you’ve learned about the team’s strengths, challenges, and position within the organization.
- Vision Articulation: Document where you want to take the team in the next 12-18 months.
- Strategic Priorities: Identify 3-5 key initiatives required to achieve that vision.
- Success Metrics: Define how you’ll measure progress and success.
- Resource Requirements: Outline what you’ll need (people, budget, support) to execute.
Draft this roadmap and share it with your team and key stakeholders before finalizing it. This collaborative approach increases buy-in while still demonstrating your strategic thinking. The document should be concise (2-3 pages) but comprehensive enough to guide decisions and resource allocation.
By implementing the LEADS framework—Listen, Engage, Align, Develop, and Succeed—you position yourself not just for early wins but for sustained success. Remember that leadership transitions are both challenging and transformative; they test your adaptability while offering unparalleled opportunities for growth and success. The most successful leaders approach these transitions with equal parts humility and strategic clarity. They recognize that while technical expertise may have earned them the role, relationship-building and thoughtful execution will define their success.
Consider the power of leadership coaching to ensure success
The success of new leaders impacts entire organizations. Remember that both people and strategy development is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process. The frameworks you establish during your first 100 days will set the foundation for sustainable growth long after your transition period ends.
According to research conducted by ICF, new leaders receiving coaching during transitions reach full productivity 33% faster than those without support. A professional coach offers an objective sounding board, helps you navigate organizational politics, accelerates your learning curve, and provides accountability as you implement your plan.
- International Coaching Federation, “Coaching ROI Study,” 2019
- Michael Watkins, “The First 90 Days,” Harvard Business Review Press, 2019
- McKinsey “It really isn’t about 100 days”, 2017
About the Author
Carolyn Hillegass is the CEO and Founder of The Outcomes Coach and an ICF-certified executive coach with over 30 years of business experience and c-suite leadership in healthcare, technology, and emerging business sectors. She specializes in coaching tailored to the unique needs of individuals, teams, and organizations within the healthcare sector, including health services, life sciences, pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital health.
