The Leader Mindset #22

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Rejected Like a Virus: What Organizations Get Wrong About Leadership Transitions

Early in my career, I learned a valuable lesson about leadership transitions that I have not forgotten.

At one of my previous companies, we struggled to retain senior leaders who were hired from outside the organization. These leaders were smart, capable, highly experienced professionals. Unfortunately, they kept leaving—or worse, spectacularly failing.

I asked our CEO why he thought it was happening. He said, “Andy, our culture is like an immune system. If someone fits, they’ll thrive here, but if they don’t live our values or adjust to how we work, the system pushes them out like a virus.”

He was right. Sadly, we weren’t supporting or preparing them for the cultural complexity they were about to encounter, and we certainly weren’t setting them up to succeed.

I’ve seen the same pattern play out at other organizations too: companies invest months into recruiting the “perfect” hire, reviewing resumes, running interviews, assessing leadership skills, and cultural fit.

The person shows up and is expected to figure everything out on their own.

This sink-or-swim approach often leads to:

• Misaligned expectations

• Broken communication channels

• Lost momentum

• Damaged trust

• And sometimes, a fast and unfortunate exit

Not because the leader wasn’t capable, but because their transition wasn’t supported.

If you are concerned about your organization’s leadership onboarding, I want to introduce you to the SUCCEED Model. It’s a practical framework that I use to guide leadership transitions and give new leaders the clarity, support, and structure they need to thrive.

Let’s walk through each of the seven principles of this process.

S – Self-Awareness Building

Great transitions start with a focus on self-awareness. One of the most important things you can do for a new leader is help them build clarity around their own strengths, challenges, and blind spots. By doing this, you will help the new leader understand how their personality and capabilities will best work in the culture.

Use tools like 360s, behavioral assessments, or early performance conversations to create a shared understanding for what the leader brings to the table. Even better, use these tools to flag potential early watchouts, so you can coach and support them before small issues become bigger ones.

U – Utilize the Three L Stages

New leaders often feel like they need to jump in and make changes immediately. Most of the time, they don’t yet have the context to make smart decisions. That’s why I recommend guiding them through the Three L Stages:

1. Listen – Ask good questions. Clarify assumptions. Take the time to understand the organization's structure and the people within it. Encourage them to meet a diverse group of stakeholders and ask questions.

2. Learn – Dive into the culture, processes, politics, and people. Learn how things work and why. Begin making small adjustments and developing effective strategies for working in the culture.

3. Lead – Once they’ve listened and learned, they can begin leading with confidence, clarity, and credibility.

These stages require 3-6 months, depending on the organization. By using these stages, the leader ensures they aren’t acting on faulty assumptions and helps them avoid making big moves too soon that could lead to catastrophic early failures.

C – Clarify Expectations

The fastest way to derail a new leader? Leave performance expectations vague or undefined.

Be explicit about what good looks like in the first 30, 90, and 180 days. This includes:

• Role responsibilities

• Key performance metrics

• Communication preferences

• Leadership behaviors

• Organizational values

Establish regular check-ins and shared goals to prevent misalignment and promote accountability. Clear expectations = confident execution.

C – Cultural Understanding

Every organization has its quirks—unwritten rules, decision-making styles, and interpersonal norms. New leaders often trip over these cultural nuances without realizing it.

So don’t leave them guessing. Talk openly about how decisions get made, how communication flows, and what behaviors are rewarded and which are not. Let them know what’s “normal” and what might be a red flag.

If they make a cultural misstep? Give feedback early. Don’t let silence compound the problem. Ultimately, your job as the leader is to keep the new leader out of the cultural ditch.

E – Establish Network

No new leader succeeds in isolation. One of the best predictors of early success is how quickly a leader builds strong relationships.

Help them connect with:

• Peers

• Direct reports

• Senior leaders

• Key customers or partners

These relationships provide vital insight, build trust, and smooth the path for future initiatives. Encourage them to listen deeply, ask questions, and begin understanding where they can add value.

E – Elevate the Team

Eventually, the new leader’s success will be judged by how well their team performs. But first, they need time to evaluate the current team’s strengths and gaps without external pressure.

Support them in:

• Assessing team member capabilities

• Building individual relationships

• Identifying future skill needs

• Making a plan to develop or upgrade talent

Encourage them to take a thoughtful, fair approach that balances fresh perspective with respect for what’s already working. Proactively, ask key stakeholders for feedback on the new leader and his/her ability to build relationships.

D – Demonstrate Results

Yes, long-term vision matters, but early wins are just as important.

Help the leader identify a few quick wins—things that can be accomplished in the first 60-90 days to show progress, build credibility, and gain momentum.

Examples might include:

• Progress on key metrics

• A presentation to senior leadership

• Launching a new process or initiative

• Building alignment around a refreshed team vision

Set realistic goals, then celebrate early progress.

Don’t Let Your Hard Work Go to Waste

Hiring a new leader is a major investment of time, energy, and money. That investment doesn’t stop when the offer letter is signed.

If you want that leader to thrive, take ownership of the transition. Give them the tools, clarity, and connections they need to succeed because when leaders succeed, teams flourish, and your whole organization benefits.

The SUCCEED Model is your blueprint for doing just that.

I would love to hear your successes and challenges in onboarding new/promoted leaders.

Free Succession Planning Webinar

Register Here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/5188bdd8-447f-43b0-aa20-efe4abf7b800@b1563aa9-779c-43c4-a3b8-29400ca86ff1

Most succession plans look great—until they’re needed.
And in today’s world of exponential change, even the best plans can fall short.

Join us for a free 60-minute webinar:
Succession Planning in the Exponential Age
📅Tuesday, August 5 (register with the link above)
🕛11:00 AM CT
🎯Designed for HR, OD, and senior leaders

Andy Noon, PhD

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Thanks for reading and look forward to seeing you again next week.

Andy