Leadership Transitions

This article explains the three defining transitions first-time executives face, and what both leaders and organizations need to get right to make them succeed.

Founder successions are among the most complex leadership transitions. This article outlines the dynamics, risks, and practices that determine whether they stall or spark renewal.

Understanding the shape of your shift and what it really calls for. Leadership transitions often look straightforward from the outside: a new role, a shift in scope, a change on the horizon. But inside, the experience can be far more complex. Some leaders feel clear and energized. Others feel unmoored. Some are running toward a bold vision. Others are quietly navigating grief, doubt, or reinvention. We expect transitions to be busy. Few of us expect them to be disorienting. A

Why the pressure to perform fast can undermine long-term leadership impact and what to do instead. The first 90 days in a new role are often framed as a race. Prove yourself. Make quick wins. Show them they made the right call. But what if that urgency is setting leaders up to fail? In my work supporting leaders through transitions, I see a recurring pattern: people rush to   do   before they’ve had time to   see .   They move fast, hoping speed will build credibility. But sp

Not every leadership transition is high-stakes. But some are more than we realize. Leadership transitions are often treated as standard career events. When someone moves up, over, or into a new context, we offer a warm welcome, a 90-day plan, and hope they find their footing quickly. However, in my experience, coaching and advising leaders and leadership teams across various sectors and continents, I have found that some transitions carry far more risk, pressure, and complexi

A new role comes with a lot of visible change: different responsibilities, a fresh title, maybe even a new team or location. But beneath all that is something more subtle and far more disruptive. You’re not just stepping into a new job. You’re stepping into a new version of yourself. And that part? It rarely shows up on the onboarding checklist. Most leadership transitions are treated as tactical moments: figure out who’s who, clarify your goals, and build early momentum. An