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CEO performance reverberates well beyond the corner office, affecting everyone from employees to shareholders, governments to business partners. Getting a good start is critically important to medium- and long-term success, for both the CEO and the organization. But how can newly appointed CEOs succeed when the role is so different from any they’ve held before? Russell Reynolds Associates conducted a study to better understand this pivotal time in a CEO’s journey, looking closely at what new CEOs focus on, what surprises them during their transitions, and what regrets they have. CEOs who have gotten off to a good start offer plenty of lessons for successfully planning, executing, and navigating the transition.
Becoming a CEO is a transition unlike any other. After the pressure and excitement of the appointment process, the real work begins. Expectations are never higher, the learning curve is never steeper, and it doesn’t take long for people to form opinions of a CEO’s performance.
