Seven Strategies to Thrive in a New Organization
College athletics is experiencing a record number of athletes entering the transfer portal to test the market and take their talents elsewhere. More than 4,500 Division 1 football players entered on January 2, 2026— the first day of the portal for this period.
Public and private employers have dealt with their own version of the transfer portal forever. It’s called turnover in a free market economy.
Executives and employees leave for many of the same reasons that athletes do: They get a new leader with a different vision and expectations that don’t match their own; They get a more attractive compensation offer elsewhere; They want a new role that will better match their skill sets or career aspirations; or other reasons specific to the individual transferring out.
There is no guarantee that your new leadership role at your next employer will work out to your expectations. Based on multiple sources over several years, 40% or more of newly hired executives will fail in the first 18 months. Failure is rarely due to a lack of technical skills for the job. Failure most often happens for many reasons, including:
- Poor cultural fit
- Unclear or misaligned expectations
- Inability to build key relationships
- Nonexistent or weak onboarding and integration plans
- Lack of political savvy in the new organization
The transition for executives changing employers is far more complex than what they or the new organization may assume.
The leaders who thrive do something different. They follow a set of proven practices that accelerate trust, clarity, and impact from day one.
Here are the seven strategies that separate successful executives from the ones who stall out:
1. Treat Onboarding as a Year‑Long Integration
The best companies don’t just “welcome” executives—they embed them. A 6 to 12-month plan with cultural immersion, decision‑rights clarity, and early‑win milestones dramatically reduces failure risk.
2. Build Relationship Capital Fast
Executives succeed at the speed of trust. Having a new leader assimilation with your team, meeting with key stakeholders and combining these critical actions with a 60‑day listening tour = faster credibility and fewer political landmines.
3. Align Expectations Early and Often
Misalignment kills momentum. Top performers revisit expectations with their leader at 30/60/90 days to ensure no surprises and no drift.
4. Pair Every New Executive with a Mentor and a Coach
A peer mentor helps navigate culture. An external coach accelerates self‑awareness and influence. Together, they shorten the learning curve.
5. Slow Down to Learn Before Speeding Up to Lead
The biggest early mistake? Moving too fast. Successful executives create space to observe, reflect, and understand the organization’s true culture and pace.
6. Deliver Early Wins That Actually Matter
Not all wins are equal. The best leaders choose visible, collaborative, strategically aligned wins that build momentum without triggering resistance.
7. Master the Culture, Not Just the Org Chart
Culture—not competence—is the #1 reason executives fail. The smartest leaders study norms, rituals, and decision‑making styles and adapt without losing authenticity.
Bottom Line
Executive transitions are high‑stakes and high cost. With the right structure, support, and intentionality, leaders can turn the first 18 months into a launchpad—not a landmine.
Executive coaching is a proven resource that helps leaders be more effective sooner when starting with a new employer. Contact me if you want more information on a process that can help you or your organization thrive in the executive hiring transition process.
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Lance Hazzard, PCC, CPCC, is a Master Certified Executive Coach and Executive Team Coach helping people and organizations achieve success. Lance and Eric T. Hicks, Ph.D., co-authored Accelerating Leadership, published in June 2019. Lance is Executive Coach and President at Oppnå® Executive & Achievement Coaching. More information on the book, Lance and Oppnå® Coaching can be found at the links below: