The key to a successful leadership transition isn’t just about having more support. It’s about having the right kind of support.
Over the past two years, more than 100 leaders have participated in the Transitions Accelerator, our structured process designed to support leaders during the critical first year in a new role. These leaders have come from a variety of sectors, including education, healthcare, tech, and nonprofit. They’ve stepped into positions ranging from department head to CEO. What they’ve all shared is a common challenge: how to lead effectively in a new environment while earning trust, meeting expectations, and creating early impact.
Through their experiences, and the insights they’ve shared with us along the way, we’ve learned a great deal about what helps a transition go well—and where things often go wrong. Here are some of the key takeaways.
1. Start with Alignment, Not Assumptions
One senior executive joined a global consulting firm with a clear mandate to improve operational efficiency. She brought a strong track record and clear goals, but within a few weeks, she began experiencing resistance from colleagues who felt her approach was too fast and overly directive.
Through the Transitions Accelerator, she used our stakeholder mapping tool and began holding one-on-one listening sessions with her peers. These conversations helped her uncover unspoken norms and clarify points of resistance. She adjusted her communication style, clarified her intentions, and involved key stakeholders in shaping her plan. Within two months, she had regained momentum and was seeing stronger buy-in across the region.
Being successful in a new role isn’t about charging ahead. It’s about learning how to move in step with the people around you.
2. Most Leaders Aren’t Getting the Feedback They Need
Another theme we’ve seen again and again is that leaders rarely get clear feedback in the early months of a new role. Many organizations assume that a confident leader will simply figure it out. But even experienced leaders can misread the expectations of a new environment.
One head of school believed she was hired to lead bold change and shake up the status quo. But after reviewing feedback from her board and completing the Expectations Alignment exercise, she realized they were looking for steady leadership, relational trust, and gradual improvements. Her tone and approach shifted dramatically, and she built a much stronger foundation as a result.
That single insight—understanding what success looks like from others’ perspectives—can prevent months of tension.
3. Quick Wins Are Helpful, but Quick Connections Are More Important
There is a lot of pressure on new leaders to create early wins. But what we’ve seen across participants is that the people they connect with in those first months often matter more than the problems they solve.
One director of operations at a nonprofit came in ready to tackle inefficiencies. She quickly began implementing systems and making changes. But morale dropped, and a simmering conflict between two departments escalated. Through the Transitions Accelerator, she paused her implementation work and spent time observing team dynamics. What she discovered was not a process issue, but a trust issue.
She shifted gears. She brought teams together, clarified communication pathways, and focused on building cohesion. In doing so, she earned credibility that positioned her for longer-term impact.
4. Self-Awareness Makes the Difference
One of the most important components of the Transitions Accelerator is how it encourages leaders to reflect on their leadership style and how it aligns with the new environment they’re entering. Through structured reflection prompts, stakeholder interviews, and guided coaching conversations, leaders gain clarity on how they show up and how they’re being perceived.
One executive shared that in his previous role, his highly independent and fast-paced style was considered a strength. But in his new organization, which emphasized collaboration and consensus, the same approach was causing tension. Through the Accelerator’s reflection process and feedback from early stakeholder conversations, he recognized the mismatch and made adjustments. He began scheduling more check-ins, offering more context when communicating decisions, and intentionally involving others in key discussions.
These kinds of self-awareness-based shifts—made early—can change the trajectory of a leader’s first year.
5. Sometimes the Right Move Is to Be Bolder, Not Softer
Not every leader needs to slow down. In some cases, the most valuable feedback a leader receives through the Transitions Accelerator is the need to be more assertive and more strategic from the start. One participant stepped into a senior leadership role at a nonprofit where the previous leader had been beloved, but widely seen as indecisive. Through early stakeholder feedback, she discovered the organization was eager for clearer direction, stronger performance accountability, and faster decision-making.
Instead of over-indexing on relationship building, she focused on setting bold, visible priorities for her first 90 days. She established regular progress check-ins, clarified roles and responsibilities, and communicated expectations with greater clarity. This direct, strategic approach helped her quickly earn respect and created positive momentum within her leadership team.
Transitions are about knowing what your new organization needs from you—and having the courage to deliver it.
6. Transitions Are Team Efforts
While the Transitions Accelerator is designed for individual leaders, the benefits extend to the whole organization. Clearer expectations, more open communication, and shared language around transition help create smoother onboarding experiences for everyone involved.
We’ve heard from HR partners and senior leaders that this process gives them a better framework to support new hires. It encourages more intentional conversations and prevents misunderstandings that often arise when assumptions go unspoken.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Leaders who complete the Transitions Accelerator report stronger confidence, greater clarity, and more meaningful relationships in their new roles. Just as importantly, their organizations see the difference. In fact, 90 percent of leaders who go through the program are rated as “Effective” or “Highly Effective” by their organizations at the end of their first year. Structured reflection, stakeholder alignment, and early course correction lead to real, measurable results.
Looking Ahead
As we look toward the future, we are expanding the Transitions Accelerator into cohort-based offerings and team onboarding programs. Our aim is to bring these tools and insights to more leaders, especially those navigating complex change in fast-moving environments.
The first 100 participants helped us refine the model. The next 100 will help us grow it.
If you are bringing new leaders into your organization, preparing for a role change yourself, or want to strengthen your onboarding process, the Transitions Accelerator can help.
Reach out to schedule a discovery call or learn more: engagement@thetmcg.com
