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Leadership
How to manage yourself through a transition
Transitions can test even the strongest leaders. Follow this guide to navigate your way through, focus your energies, and thrive.
Whenever we begin something new, we tend to focus on the possibilities of what’s to come. Never is this truer than when starting a new role. We’re motivated to hit the ground running, and we feel energized, confident, and keen to make an impact. But transitions bring emotional challenges – and missteps made in the first few months could jeopardize your future success. Through years of coaching leaders, we have noticed recurring patterns during our decades of experience of coaching leaders and have used these patterns to establish the framework below, centered around the timeline of the transition. This is strongly connected to your emotional state.
Naturally, you’re focused on the practicalities and raring to get going – but this is precisely when the need to maintain your energy and mental focus is at its greatest.
IMD Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change Michael D Watkins – a globally recognized leadership transitions expert and author of the best-selling book The First 90 Days – refers to “taking stock of your feelings” and being intentional with structured reflection and personal disciplines from the outset.
Before diving in, take a moment to reflect on these three core questions:
- How will you manage your energy (physical, emotional, and mental) to sustain clarity, focus, and a positive outlook, given the sheer volume of information, meetings, changes, and decisions you will need to make?
- How will you energize others and start building trust and meaningful relationships?
- Crucially, how will you avoid mistakes due to haste, tiredness, or lack of focus?
Transitions can be broken down into three broad phases that correspond to your internal state and behavioral focus.
The three-phase framework
Transitions can be broken down into three broad phases that correspond to your internal state and behavioral focus. These phases do not proceed in a neat, linear sequence, but being aware of them helps you know how to respond effectively. Each involves a different focus on the work, the people, and yourself. The different phases also present common traps that others have fallen prey to, so be mindful of them and proactively plan for them.
Phase 1. The sprinting start
Like any new beginning, you’re excited by the possibilities that lie ahead and want to make an early impact. Take notice of what you’re thinking and feeling – your adrenaline levels might be high, and, having just been chosen for this challenge, you might experience a newfound confidence. Use these tips to frame how you think about the work ahead, the people you’re getting to know, and managing yourself.
Work
- Show up with curiosity and an open mindset. Use your early meetings to validate what you learned in the interview process. Be authentic and share personal stories.
- Think of impactful questions and listen to learn: action will come later.
People
- Find out which relationships are the most important to start with and why, and arrange priority meet-and-greets (remembering that most meetings are based on calendar availability).
- Observe and understand the culture in your new ecosystem. What feels natural and what will be challenging for you?
Self
- Establish boundaries and non-negotiables to stay healthy and set expectations (exercise, healthy eating, time to reflect and recharge). Start by assessing how you manage your energy and your current habits. Identify your strengths (e.g., ability to focus for a long time) and where you need to be mindful (e.g., ensuring quiet time). Reflect on adjustments you need to make. Emotions are energy in motion – so make sure to observe your energy.
- Prioritize sleep. Even the strongest minds are tested when starting a new role. Sleep is your “brain friend” and will help you show up as your best every day. Studies have shown that missing sleep has a similar effect to alcohol on our mental performance.
- Log key insights. In addition to taking notes with reminders of who said what, make sure to document your observations along the way. How did you feel at the end of the day (excited, frustrated, what was your energy level)? What were your learnings? (Make sure to log the cultural and political insights and not just the business-related ones.) What were your wins for the day? What tip would you give yourself?
The traps
Excitement turning into anxiousness
- Suddenly, excitement turns into anxiousness. Who will you eat lunch with? Where is the bathroom? Will your computer work? How will you complete all this paperwork? This is all normal, so set realistic goals for your first few days. (i.e., remember someone’s name, find your way to a meeting, get comfortable with your new commute).
The sprint mindset
- Don’t fall prey to the urge to get everything done fast and work non-stop: build breaks into your schedule. Remember: just because you have a free block, it doesn’t mean it should be taken by a meet-and-greet. Build in time for reflection.
Pressure to act
- You were hired for your perspective, so find the balance between listening and sharing. Your point of view might be acknowledging what you heard, vs expressing your opinion or deciding on an immediate course of action.
Ignoring your emotions
- Name your emotions (this is called “labelling”) to avoid being reactive and stay aware of your emotional state. Remember: impatience can quickly escalate to curtness if not monitored.
Phase 2. The middle and its meddling
While you may still be new in tenure, you’re starting to make connections with the work and the people. You might be experiencing an energy dip or feeling some anxiety, and your inner critic might get louder. Now is the time to be resilient, focus on your stamina, and be very intentional with your emotions and actions.
There’s no clear “middle” timeline, but you’ll know when this phase is ending as you’ll feel a sense of relief, possibly accompanied by a feeling of, “I’m getting the hang of this.” Here are some helpful tips for navigating this phase:
Work
- While you may see many possibilities, it’s important to identify which ones will have the greatest impact. Be discerning: just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Inventory your ideas, narrow them down, and then validate your choices with others.
- Remain strategic, think about sequencing the work and what best-in-class looks like, and celebrate small wins along the way to feel and display momentum.
People
- Identify your personal board/council you will rely on, especially in the first few months. Roles to consider include: Historian (someone who can help explain why things are the way they are), Truthteller (someone who shares norms and will tell you when you’re headed in the wrong direction workwise or culturally), Influencer (someone who has the ear of your stakeholders as well as the frontline), and Accountability Partner (someone who will hold you to your boundaries and non-negotiables).
- Beware of the human need for control and certainty to decrease stress. Gauge how much you can control, how much you can influence, and what you need to accept.
- In a new environment, you will need to form assumptions about people and how they will behave. But remember: they are working assumptions!
Self
- You’ve met many new colleagues and stakeholders, spent weeks in learning mode, and uncovered a few potential quick wins. You start each day thinking “I’ve got this,” then realize you haven’t. Remain curious and remember: this is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Stay in a possibility mindset: you’re there to bring a fresh perspective, so be sure not to “go native” too soon.
The traps
Neglecting to recognize and celebrate progress
- It’s essential to notice the early signs of progress to sustain motivation if you feel discouraged, impatient, or frustrated.
Skipping repair work that might be needed
- This can easily happen, either due to the legacy of your predecessor or your own prior experiences. Don’t accelerate too quickly, validate often, and ensure alignment.
Expecting big progress
- The middle is often muddy and meandering. You may well feel restless and doubt yourself more than usual. This is not a comfortable feeling, but it’s totally normal: watch your internal dialogue and keep it positive, but realistic.
Holding back on your POV
- As you learn more about your new ecosystem, you may be tempted to hold back on sharing your perspective so as not to offend others or out of fear of being wrong. Instead, be brave and share your POV – and do it with grace and clarity.
Phase 3. Activate and accelerate
In this phase, you no longer feel as though you’ve just arrived. You could think of it as the end of the beginning and the start of so much more. You probably feel more at ease, your adrenaline levels have settled, and you might even allow yourself to relax a bit. Your allies are better identified, and you are aligned with priorities and pace.
Often, this is the time to revise your energy management habits and adapt them to your emerging reality. Consider redoing your Energy Check and reflecting on it with a confidante.
Use these tips to navigate this phase:
Work
- Pay attention to both pace and prioritization.
- Identify what work will create the greatest impact, build in processes and platforms to ensure delivery, and give them visibility. Remain focused on your few top priorities to make your mark and start to build your legacy.
- Work on identifying what you or your team should stop doing. Is there waste anywhere? If something isn’t adding value, is it time to reassess? This can help free up resources, motivate the team, and show strong leadership.
People
- As you become more established, it’s important not to ignore your new relationships (both near and tangential). Crucially, be careful not to burn relational bridges. Remain focused on creating new bridges (this needs patience and focus). Be intentional with where to start and reflect on whom to trust and whom not.
Build in feedback loops
- Your personal board/council will help with this. Be patient when working remotely or with a dispersed team, as it takes longer to build relationships and trust. Be specific when asking for feedback – ask, “What’s one thing I should do more or less of to help you?” Question how your style is landing and if anyone is noticing any blind spots you should be aware of.
Self
- Take extra care of your health. Watch out for the “let-down effect” – after an intense period is over, you could experience flu or heavy fatigue.
- What do you need to change/adapt in your energy routine? Do you have to stay connected later in the evening due to your global team? If so, try to work from home more often.
The traps
As you continue to settle in, watch out for these traps and plan for them:
Waiting too long to make changes
- You were hired to make your mark on the organization: waiting too long could have unintended consequences (both with replacing/changing people and the work). Consult with your leader on the appropriate timing to start.
Going native
- Organizations sometimes have a legacy mindset that is resistant to change and innovation, or that settles for mediocracy. Bring your best and lean into the persona they interviewed: it’s time to build and live the brand you want.
Each phase brings unique opportunities and challenges, but with reflection, boundaries, and perspective, you can lead yourself and others more effectively.
Key learnings
Successfully navigating any transition starts with managing your internal state. By attending to your energy, emotions, and relationships with intentionality, you create a strong foundation for clarity, influence, and impact. Each phase brings unique opportunities and challenges, but with reflection, boundaries, and perspective, you can lead yourself and others more effectively. Remember: transitions aren’t just about where you’re going – they’re about how you show up along the way.
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