The top 5 challenges to successful executive onboarding and how to tackle them

You only get one chance to make a good first impression.

That holds true for employees as well as organisations. For both, shortcomings in the first few months in a role cast a long shadow. The pressure increases for executives, who walk into new offices needing to build trust, resolve problems, motivate teams, set priorities and deliver to deadline – while also getting to know their way around the culture.

In fact, according to Forbes, 50-70% of new executives fail within their first 18 months on the job.

The great news is that organisations can do a lot to ease the onboarding and integration process by identifying potential challenges and supporting new executives early in their tenure. At LHH, we’ve identified the 5 things that are most likely to trip up new executives during onboarding and hinder their integration:

1: Not understanding how the organisation works (69%)

New leaders are inundated by information and data – it’s easy for crucial information to fall through. This can be anything from the company history to its financials.

A new executive who doesn’t have a clear picture of the inner workings of their organisation is at a disadvantage when it comes to decision making, setting strategy, and stakeholder management.

Clear documentation of processes, targets, and key people – such as peer mentors – can help. An up-to-date organisation chart can be a lifeline for new executives, while well-written briefs detailing high level strategy and monthly KPIs can be integral tools in helping new leaders get their bearings.

2: Misalignment with the culture (65%) 

Organisations, like people, have a certain set of norms. This can be as explicit and structural as the chain of command to as implicit and minute as what tone to use in emails.

A new executive who is not aligned with this culture will be seen as an outsider, making it difficult to gain the trust and respect of their colleagues. Organisations can help new leaders by answering questions like: “how do we communicate in meetings? Do leaders have open door policies? Which messaging platforms do we use and when?” Early guidance can pave the way for a team fit from the moment your new executive walks in the door.

3: Lack of alliances (57%) 

The best leaders inspire and motivate. Having strong relationships with other influential leaders in the organisation – managers, HR officers, engineers – is key.

Research shows that leaders who lead through positivity and prioritise building relationships with their employees simply do better – and their teams do too. New leaders may have lacked crucial time with colleagues, and, with a demanding schedule, it can be difficult to foster organic relationships.

Setting the stage for forming relationships can go a long way for new leaders. This can be formal like organised networking opportunities with other leaders in the organisations, or informal like out-of-office-hour activities. Again, executive mentorship programmes can provide much-needed support throughout the onboarding and integration process.

4: Misunderstanding the business model (48%)

A company’s business model is the foundation of its success. Knowing a model’s strengths and weaknesses determines an executive’s ability to make the right decisions.

Taking the time to explain the business model thoroughly and building in onboarding time for shadowing meetings and reviewing processes is an investment that can pay huge dividends. The better an executive understands the ins and outs of their organisation, the more effectively they can lead it into the future.

5: Lack of support in decision making (31%)

Decision making is at the heart of an executive’s role – nearly half their day is spent on making decisions. At the best of times, this involves weighing several variables, including different opinions, market factors, internal stressors, industry trends, and their own experience.

While the responsibility to make crucial decisions is part of a leader’s job, isolation and pressure don’t have to be. Peer mentors can be key allies that help executives understand the business and market contexts and make evidence-based decisions for their teams.

Failure proofing for new executives 

For new executives and teams, the onboarding stage is critical. LHH has a programme designed to avoid the most common pitfalls in onboarding, including:

• Management of initial communication and impression upon arrival into new role
• Assessing and adapting to culture and operating environment
• Building stakeholder alliances and alignment
• Identifying a set of targeted early wins that will provide a foundation for further success
• Building trust with and leading a team through onboarding to maintain business continuity

We have years of experience building onboarding and integration plans to accelerate executive success. Contact us today to learn more about getting the best start for your organisation’s leaders.