Leadership Onboarding: The Mistakes and the Pitfalls

The same mistakes have been made in executive integration time and time again. These missteps come from all sides: the hiring manager, the executive, and the business itself. Want to know how to avoid them and set up for success? Here's how to prevent common pitfalls in executive transitions.

1. Self-Led Onboarding
Just because a leader is experienced, smart, and capable does not mean they should be responsible for creating their own onboarding plan. They don’t know what they don’t know—most aren’t experts in onboarding or transition best practices. A structured, intentional onboarding process is essential. New leaders need clear guidance to navigate both the strategic and cultural aspects of onboarding and integration. Without this, they risk missing critical nuances of the company’s culture, strategy, and team dynamics, which could jeopardise their early effectiveness.

2. Expecting Immediate Results
Both the organisation and the new leader can fall into the trap of expecting immediate results. Rushing into decisions and actions too quickly can damage credibility and erode trust with the team and external stakeholders. New executives often don’t have enough context to make well-informed decisions within the first few weeks. Instead, the focus should be on listening and learning during the first 90 days. This time is crucial to absorb the company's history, challenges, and opportunities, ensuring that future decisions are sound and grounded in reality.

3. Not Spending Time Building Relationships
In the fast-paced world of growth businesses, there’s often a relentless push to deliver results from day one. However, failing to spend enough time developing meaningful one-on-one relationships with key stakeholders is a critical mistake. These relationships form the foundation of trust and collaboration. It's not just about understanding the roles and responsibilities of your team, but getting to know their values, motivations, and unique insights on the business. This relational equity is invaluable when tough decisions need to be made or when the team faces challenges.

4. Misalignment in Expectations
When an executive first joins, they may think they have a clear understanding of the business. But once they dig deeper, they often find that the reality is different from the surface-level picture they initially saw. This discrepancy can lead to misalignment in expectations between the new leader, the board, and the wider leadership team. To avoid this, it's essential to have frequent alignment discussions during the early stages. Open conversations about evolving challenges, new insights, and strategic shifts help ensure everyone is on the same page.

5. Lack of Feedback
Feedback is essential for everyone, especially new leaders during the early days of their role. Executives need to know what they’re doing well and where they could improve. Regular feedback provides new leaders with a roadmap for adjusting their behavior and approach. Without it, they may continue down the wrong path, creating friction or missing opportunities for improvement. A culture of feedback, particularly early in their tenure, sets the tone for continuous growth and alignment.

By being mindful of these common mistakes, businesses can set their new leaders up for success from the outset, laying the foundation for a smooth integration and long-term success.

However, even with the best intentions, navigating leadership integration can be complex. Consider engaging an integration coach to help avoid these pitfalls and elevate the success of your new leader. An integration coach brings expertise in executive onboarding, helping to guide both the business and the new executive through the transition period. They provide tailored support, ensure alignment, and help the new leader build trust, all while fostering the right strategic and cultural fit. With the right guidance, businesses can dramatically increase the success rate of executive hires and protect the investment made in leadership.