How executives can fast-track their impact in the first 90 days

"Your first 90 days as an executive set the tone for your reputation, relationships, and results. During this period, the board, C-suite, and peers are silently asking themselves, Did we make the right choice? Harvard Business School research on "the first 90 hours" shows that the earliest actions you take (or fail to take) quickly shape the narrative others tell about your leadership."

"When Tyler became chief growth officer at a global adtech company, he walked into a high-stakes environment. He faced slowing client renewals, new privacy regulations, and friction between product, sales, and data science teams. The pressure to deliver was immediate. McKinsey research shows that nearly 70% of CEOs replace members of their top team within two years, a reminder that leaders are often judged quickly on their ability to deliver. Tyler knew the clock was ticking."

"Kathryn Landis, as an executive coach and keynote speaker, and Jenny Fernandez, as an executive advisor and learning & development expert, have supported senior leaders with their onboarding process using five key strategies to maximize their first 90 days. 1. Prepare Before You Start The strongest executives don't wait for day one; they use the pre-start period as a strategic runway. Companies that support this transition are nine times more likely to achieve their performance goals. Tyler spent his pre-start phase building a foundation."

The first 90 days for an executive set the tone for reputation, relationships, and measurable results. Early actions shape the narrative others form about leadership and can rapidly influence credibility. Many leadership transitions underperform; nearly half are judged disappointments within two years while average C-suite tenure has shortened to roughly 3.5–4.7 years, raising urgency for immediate impact. New leaders face operational, regulatory, and cross-functional challenges that demand quick diagnosis and alignment. Five key onboarding strategies emphasize pre-start preparation, stakeholder engagement, diagnosing the business, securing early wins, and aligning the top team to accelerate impact.

Read at Fast Company