The amount of time and resources organizations invest in finding the right person for leadership roles is often disproportionate to the support provided after that person steps into the role. Too often, new executives are unceremoniously dropped into their roles without the support needed to find their footing. This occurs when companies see onboarding as complete when the ink on hiring paperwork is dry.  

Successful leadership transitions require investment of time and resources to ensure the leader has the context, support, relationship handoffs and structure they need to thrive.  

The Offer Letter Is Not a Finish Line

It’s widely assumed that C-suite and senior executives will be able to hit their stride quickly with minimal support beyond the first few weeks. While that’s a natural assumption, given that these hires come from a place of extensive experience, proficiency and have emerged from a competitive hiring process, underinvesting in leadership transition support is a serious risk.  

The Dangers of Inadequate Leadership Transition Support 

A lack of support for the transition period can have disastrous effects on the organization. These may include:  

• Decreased employee morale due to friction with the new hire, confusion about organizational direction or uncertainty about new expectations. 

• Stalled progress toward company objectives, pushing goals — including financial ones — further into the future, where it may be too late to get back on track. 

• Damaged company reputation if news of internal disruption is leaked to the public. 

• Declining share prices for public companies. 

• Increased board dissatisfaction that may lead to additional C-suite personnel changes. 

• A perception that the new hire has failed, potentially triggering another search for a different candidate. 

Executive search consultants recommend that leadership transition support continues well after the official hiring period is over. This increases the likelihood that a new hire in a leadership position will succeed in their role. 

What Leadership Onboarding Should Look Like 

Onboarding for new leaders needs to be about more than completing paperwork, providing company information documents, coordinating with information technology (IT) for access permissions and handshake introductions all around. That version of onboarding is, quite frankly, not enough to set a new leader up for success.  

First, there needs to be a clearly defined structure. Even the most well-meaning onboarding staff will have things falling through the cracks without a checklist. Onboarding should be a team effort, since the inherently varied goals will require a variety of skills, security levels and experience. 

Second, onboarding should have a timeline. Six months to one year is a standard transition period for a leadership role. As that timeline moves along, the onboarding should abate. 

The specific elements of an effective, structured onboarding program are going to be different for every organization. But it should include professional relationship nurturing, clearly defined current and future expectations, insight into goal mapping for the role and the organization, success metrics and a realistic reward system. 

There will always be a learning curve, regardless of the role or level of the new hire. However, a structured onboarding process can help flatten that curve by providing clear expectations, guidance and support, reducing the likelihood that the new hire falls out of alignment with organizational needs and job responsibilities. 

The Role of Ongoing Coaching and Development 

Coaching, either internally or through a third-party provider, during the transition period gives new leaders a safe space in which to process the complexities of their new role. Coaching can also help new leaders identify and address any areas where there’s room for improvement, whether it’s technical knowledge, interpersonal skills, industry knowledge or something else.  

Building a Learning Infrastructure Around the Leadership Transition 

New executives deserve to have every tool in the toolbox available to them, just like any employee. Those tools should include a structured onboarding system that empowers them with the best chances for success, realizing that everyone is invested in the same outcome. That goal, with the insight above, increases the likelihood that leadership transitions will help to move the company in the right direction.