The unique challenge of the first 90 days
Stepping into the role of Chief Executive Officer is one of the most high-stakes transitions in business. Whether you are promoted internally or appointed from outside, the first 90 days set the tone for your leadership, shape how you are perceived, and influence the trajectory of the organisation. Expectations are high, scrutiny is constant, and the margin for error is narrow.
Many CEO’s transitioning into a new role have the benefit of CEO coaching during this critical period for both the incoming leader, the business and its stakeholders.
Listen before you act
Many new CEOs feel pressure to make bold moves immediately. Yet the best leaders spend their early days listening. Meeting key stakeholders, understanding the culture, and absorbing the company’s strengths and challenges creates a foundation for credible decisions. Listening demonstrates humility and signals that you respect the history and expertise of those who came before you.
The balance is to ensure that you still do act on urgent matters, but you do so having listened carefully and considered your options.
Clarify expectations with the board
Your relationship with the board is one of the most important factors in your success. Early alignment on strategic priorities, performance measures, and communication rhythms reduces misunderstandings later. CEOs who succeed in the long term are those who set a clear framework for how they and the board will work together.
Particularly as the board and CEO begin to work together, there are many unknowns to navigate.
Build your leadership team
No CEO succeeds alone. The effectiveness of your executive team will shape the organisation’s ability to deliver on strategy. Early assessment of your leadership bench is critical. Which leaders are aligned with the future direction, which can be developed, and where are the gaps? Making these judgments in the first 90 days, with care and objectivity, avoids drift and establishes momentum.
While it can be tempting to make changes to your leadership team early, this should be done only after you have had a good look under the bonnet!
Balance speed with patience
Stakeholders want results quickly, but acting without insight creates risk. The most successful CEOs balance “quick wins” with longer-term foundations. Identifying symbolic actions that demonstrate intent, while deferring structural change until you have the full picture, shows both decisiveness and judgement.
Identifying high-impact, low-risk quick wins is absolutely key to early impact whilst managing the potential implication risk of these decisions.
Communicate consistently
Employees, customers, and investors will all be watching closely. Consistent, transparent communication builds trust. Share your observations early, even before you have answers. Explaining what you are learning, what you value, and how you plan to approach decisions reassures stakeholders that the organisation is in steady hands.
Change is scientifically proven to be challenging for everyone involved and if you don’t communicate clearly and frequently, teams will ‘fill in the gaps’ themselves, risking considerable speculation and distraction from core business functions.
Protect your energy
The first 90 days are often physically and mentally exhausting. It is easy to burn out by trying to be everywhere at once. Protecting your energy, delegating effectively, and creating space to reflect is not indulgent, it is essential to long-term performance.
What matters in the first 90 days isn’t necessarily going to matter as much in 3, 6 or 12-months time, so managing priorities and knowing when to defer issues is absolutely key to success.
Common pitfalls and how to mitigate them
Trying to please everyone instead of making tough choices
New CEOs often want to build goodwill by avoiding conflict. The danger is that important decisions are delayed.
How to mitigate: Establish clear criteria for decision-making early. Link choices directly to strategic priorities agreed with the board. Communicate decisions transparently, showing how they connect to the organisation’s long-term success.
Bringing in too many people from previous roles
It can be tempting to hire familiar faces, but doing so too quickly risks damaging morale and culture.
How to mitigate: Take time to evaluate the existing team on their own merits before making external appointments. Where change is required, manage transitions respectfully and explain the rationale clearly to minimise disruption.
Over-communicating promises before understanding feasibility
In the early days, enthusiasm can lead to ambitious commitments that later prove difficult to deliver.
How to mitigate: Focus communications on observations and intent, not fixed commitments. Share what you are learning, outline the process for reaching decisions, and set expectations for when more detail will be available.
Neglecting relationships with the board and key investors
A new CEO can become so focused on internal operations that external stakeholders feel overlooked.
How to mitigate: Create a structured engagement plan for your board and investors. Schedule regular updates, invite input on early priorities, and ensure there is a consistent rhythm of communication beyond formal meetings.
Further Reading
If you are a CEO transitioning into a new role, perhaps consider how CEO coaching can help during this critical period.
