The First 100 Days: Why Great Executives Fail After the Hire
Why Do the First 100 Days Matter So Much?
The first 100 days are a critical time period for any new executive. Most will hit the ground running, putting in the extra effort to be visible, friendly, and productive from the jump. The first 100 days can really make or break a new hire. First impressions matter and can shape your entire trajectory in an organization.
Most executives who get the job have a strong performance track record. They are used to delivering results, making key decisions in their organizations, and leading high-performing teams. When transitioning to a new role, these executives expect to succeed, as they have in previous organizations. This is not an unreasonable expectation, but it does not account for the fact that every organizational context is different. It takes time to learn the ropes, understand the culture, and transition well. Onboarding during this period is mission-critical.
What Does Onboarding Actually Require at the Executive Level?
However, onboarding is not merely administrative in nature at the executive level. Onboarding requires understanding the culture or “the way things are done around here.” Onboarding requires understanding which relationships matter, knowing who holds power despite an unassuming title, and seeing beneath the surface of organizational life. Then there is the process of integrating, becoming one with the organization. Integration doesn’t happen overnight. It happens during long layovers when traveling to the manufacturing facility. Over coffee before an all-hands-on-deck meeting. After work at a partner’s favorite Italian restaurant. Integration rarely happens during work — it happens before and after. This integration also takes time.
Executive onboarding must focus on understanding culture, first and foremost. What are the rules — spoken or unspoken? What values are rewarded? What are the customs of the organization? The rituals? The artifacts? What are the principles that guide organizational behavior? Culture is all around us, but sometimes it's impossible to see when you’re living it; understanding the culture can make the transition into a new organization that much better. It’s not about fitting in. It’s about being a value-add to a system that already exists, but to add to a system, you have to know what’s already there.
What Should the First 100 Days Actually Look Like in Practice?
From a more practical standpoint, the first 100 days should be about building relationships with key stakeholders, getting small wins, and making a good first impression with the team. At this stage, the balance between speed and accuracy matters — move quickly enough to keep decision-making moving, but not so fast that you overlook key information. It’s a balancing act between wanting to make an impact and being conscientious. Integration is far better than speed.
What Risks Come With Stepping Into a New Role?
Coming in as a new executive will always carry risks. Every new position shifts identity, even if the work at a previous company was similar. A new organizational context brings new power dynamics, different boundaries, new tasks and responsibilities, and new expectations. This can put pressure on a new hire. Gaining peer trust may also be difficult at this stage. Peers are notoriously some of the hardest critics, but their feedback tends to be pointed and accurate. Building relationships with peers can be time-consuming, but is an important part of any leader's journey.
Executive success is partly determined before the executive ever starts and then tested by everything they encounter once they do. Culture. Team dynamics. Unwritten rules. Even the right executive can fail if the transition is poorly designed. If you are a new leader or a search firm that has just placed a new leader, consider our executive transition services. Our goal is to help a leader understand the mandate, organization, stakeholders, and climate quickly enough to make good decisions and to knock it out of the park from Day 1. If you need this, get in touch.
Dr. Asha Gipson is the Founder and CEO of Addison Leadership Advisory, where she provides executive assessment and leadership advisory services. She holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and has spent nearly a decade advising founders, CEOs, and executive teams through periods of growth and change.
