Your First 90 Days: A Survival Guide for Executive Leaders

In the first weeks of a new leadership role, people will tell you everything that's broken - and rarely mention their own part in the mess.

My first 90 days as Vermont's Speaker of the House were exhilarating and disorienting - seeing a very familiar place from a different and weighty perspective, every decision visible and magnified. Initial events and impressions (for me it was making legislative committee assignments that would shape our work for the next two years, and wrangling an especially difficult, contentious vote on education funding) set the tone for how others perceive your authority, authenticity, boundaries, and strength. There is a strong pull to prove worthiness and expertise, but for credibility and results in the long haul, the better move is to practice steadiness, build relationships, and make room for both dissent and compassion.

This is the survival guide I would have liked as a new Appropriations Committee Chair writing a multibillion-dollar budget in the Great Recession, a new executive of a start-up nonprofit, and as Vermont's 3rd woman Speaker of the House.

1. Redefine What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days

Many new leaders assume their job is to prove competence immediately. In the pressure to deliver those early wins, they skim past the listening and curiosity needed to understand the context and history of the system and possible losses that will trip them up. They can make enemies by swerving into someone else's lane. Those mistakes will not only set back the timeline on your agenda. They will reduce trust in your judgement which impacts the system's risk tolerance, and restricts the level of innovation you can attempt. Success in the first 90 days as a new leader isn't about demonstrating expertise; it's about deep diagnostic work to understand what's beneath the surface in your new environment, building alignment and cultivating the conditions where your leadership can thrive.

In a world shaped by constant change, effective leaders don't rush to show control. They take the time to understand the context, culture, power dynamics, and informal networks that drive function and dictate limitations. The most successful leaders - men and women - know that curiosity, not certainty, earns credibility.

Instead of asking, "What should I fix first?", begin with "What do I need to understand to make meaningful change?", "Where are the pain points?", and "What obstacles lie in between where we are and where we want to go?" Spend time listening deeply, mapping the system you've entered, and identifying where clarity is most needed. Those early questions often reveal the invisible forces - organizational scar tissue, appetite for innovation, hidden pressures, zones of distrust - that shape success or resistance.

2. Lead Through Listening, Not Performance

In the early days, visibility matters. But presence is not performance.

The instinct to "prove yourself" can unintentionally create distance between you and your team. The leaders who thrive are those who start by listening, not just to what is said, but to what is not said. They absorb what they hear as data points from a perspective, not hard truths. They know that the pain points others are perennially chasing are likely symptoms, and they have the skills to listen for the possible root cause.

Inviting input, warts and all, builds relational authority, the kind of credibility that comes from being trusted rather than simply being in charge.

Try structured listening rounds in your first few weeks. Ask three questions consistently:

• What's working well here?
• What's getting in the way of our success?
• What changes would make the biggest difference?

When people feel heard and supported, they become willing to engage honestly. That honesty becomes your leadership currency.

Later in the 90 days, when trust has grown enough to push a bit harder, invite others into more self-reflective conversation. Ask about their part of the mess. Model behavior by sharing your own shortcomings and areas for growth. Center the conversation on what circumstances would better support a higher level of achievement, and what you can do to support them in getting there.

The currency that I had accumulated over nearly two decades in the legislature played a critical role in Vermont's ability to transition to a remote legislature in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing us to serve Vermonters through the crisis, including distribution of $1.25 billion dollars to support health and safety, provide basic needs, and set Vermont up for strong post-pandemic recovery.

2020 was my 4th year as Speaker. The first cases of COVID had hit Vermont, and a former legislative colleague was infected. Sadly, he would soon become one of Vermont's early casualties. As other state legislatures were adjourning early or continuing in-person work that risked spreading the virus, Vermont's Majority and Minority political parties agreed that 1) we had a responsibility to stay in session and serve constituents through this crisis, and 2) we had to find a contactless way to work, which was uncommon then, and unheard of for legislative bodies.

Our incredible staff generated options for remote committee work and floor debate, secure voting, and live streaming for public access. I solved round after round of "Well what about this potential problem" from the Minority Leader and still could not get a green light from her caucus. In a quiet, 1:1 moment I asked her "Is the reticence of your caucus truly about going remote, or is it about H.610", a controversial bill unrelated to COVID that was about to pass out of committee and had the votes to pass the House. I had been trying to solve the wrong problem. Once I focused on what was not being said, I could address the core concern, and quickly had the support of the caucus to move forward.

These subtle listening skills are the beginning of your "gap analysis", a crucial step of diagnostic work that allows you to understand potential paths and road blocks of getting your team and your organization from where they are now, to where you need them to be.

3. Build Systems Before You Build Speed and Scale

In the rush to make an impact, many new leaders mistake momentum for progress. They push for rapid action, often before foundations are ready. Sustainable effectiveness lies in building systems, not quick wins.

Ask yourself:

• What decision-making and process structures already exist?
• Where are the informal centers of influence?
• How do people actually communicate across departments?
• How do current systems and processes hold up in time dependent or high-stakes situations?

Understanding these patterns will help you act with precision instead of urgency. Disciplined observation precedes decisive action. A well-designed system magnifies your impact, while haste magnifies confusion.

4. Establish Authority Through Integrity

Many of the leaders we coach face an invisible pressure to mirror what authority "looks like", but authority grounded in imitation never lasts. Authentic influence is built in micro-steps: genuine interest in others' well-being and professional success, modeling vulnerability including admitting your own mistakes. It's connecting words and deeds in meaningful ways, aligning purpose and priorities on your team such that daily tasks are connected with broader goals, and organizational values are tied to the results you measure. Key to establishing authority as a new leader is consistency and clarity. People trust leaders who do what they say, who admit what they don't know, and who remain steady when things go sideways. Integrity communicates strength far more effectively than performance does. Likewise, a leader that clearly communicates what they do and don't expect, and establishes clear boundaries, such as on performance and behavior, deadlines, or ability to give input vs decision-making authority creates safety and stability.

Ask yourself:

• What behaviors reflect core values, both for myself and for our organization?
• How can I communicate boundaries without apology?
• What tone of leadership do I want to model for others?

Titles are given, but authority - the type that is a resource for navigating tough challenges and managing crises - is earned through congruence.

5. Turn Complexity Into Clarity

Complexity is not the enemy; confusion is.

In every leadership transition, there will be competing agendas, unclear processes, and shifting expectations. The leaders who thrive are those who can make sense of disequilibrium, and bring steadiness to others in uncertain times.

How?

• By looking for patterns that offer clues to hidden tensions and unspoken dynamics
• By separating symptoms from root causes to address the correct problem
• By identifying potential losses that inherently come with change, and mapping how to pace them

Leadership development programs - either 1:1 coaching or cohort-based programs - through Women Igniting Leadership Lab lean into this methodology, helping women to develop the stomach and the skill to separate noise from signal. It gives you a clear field of focus and frees mental energy for what truly matters.

Complex systems respond best to thoughtful interventions, anchored in diagnosis and strategy. Your first 90 days are the ideal time to model that steadiness.

6. Build Trust One Conversation at a Time

Trust is built in droplets and lost in buckets.

It's built in small, consistent moments, follow-through, transparency, and acknowledgment. The most effective leaders see every interaction as a chance to either strengthen or erode that trust.

In the first few months, people are watching closely. They're asking themselves: Is she listening? Is he fair? Can I be honest with her? Your consistency in those early interactions will define the culture that follows.

A common misconception is that vulnerability can only happen in the presence of trust, but in fact it's the other way around - research shows that vulnerability - and a team's response to that vulnerability - is what builds a culture of trust.

Practical ways to build trust:

• Be clear about what you know and especially about what you don't.
• Ask for help.
• Keep commitments, even the small ones.
• Invite dissent early; it builds psychological safety.

As one  executive leadership program participant described it, "trust isn't built through perfection; it's built through presence."

7. Avoid the Trap of Doing Everything Yourself

A dangerous aspect of the "competence trap", is a belief that being a good leader means handling everything personally. In reality, leadership is less about doing and more about designing and delegating.

Delegate early and wisely. Not to offload work, but to build capability in others. Empower your team to think, decide, and act; it sends a powerful signal of trust and raises collective capacity. As the most senior authority and the primary face of the House, my name was on every press release. Every constituent contact and blog post reflected my brand and reputation. I inserted myself into as much design and editing as I could, and got both overwhelmed and in the way. It took some time to trust my excellent staff, and get into a rhythm of what - and mostly what NOT - to be involved in.

Remember: over-functioning leaders often produce under-functioning teams. Creating space for others to step up is one of the most effective ways to lead with both strength and humility.

8. Make Time for Your Own Priorities

Everyone will want a piece of you. My early months as Speaker were chock-full of 15 minute meetings with everyone who asked for a moment of my time: meet-and-greets with lobbyists and advocates pitching their ideas, problem solving/coaching sessions with Committee Chairs on the difficult dynamics emerging in their policy areas, questions from staff on issues in their offices. Though my days were packed, weeks rolled by without progress on the priorities I had sought to move forward.

Identify and block time for your own priorities - the important, yet not urgent work you envisioned, or were hired for, the thoughtful strategy and diagnosis needed for the potential problems stirring on the horizon, and the learning needed for continuous growth and improvement.

This required training my staff how to disappoint people in an acceptable way. They needed help in understanding when to say no, or yes with parameters, and which priority requests needed to be accommodated ASAP for our organization to function at its best.

Your first 90 days will establish patterns of engagement, vision-setting, and productivity. Allocate your time intentionally for the tone and culture you want to build.

9. Reflect, Recalibrate, and Repeat

There is a lot to hold in as a new leader: the demands on your time, the needs, strengths, and opportunities of staff members, perception and satisfaction of your organization's audience (clients, customers, constituents, etc). A critical area that's too easy to overlook is your own growth. The first 90 days as a new leader are as much about inner work as outer change. Every conversation, decision, and misstep holds data about who you are as a leader if you pause long enough to reflect.

Set aside time each week to ask:

• What patterns am I noticing in myself and my team?
• Where am I reacting instead of responding?
• What have I learned about how this system truly works?
• What most needs my attention in order to meet our goals?

The most successful women leaders treat reflection as a discipline, not a luxury. It keeps them grounded, adaptive, and ready to grow.

Conclusion

The first 90 days do not define a career, but they often define momentum. They shape how people experience your presence, how your team aligns around you, and how confident you feel in your own voice. For women in leadership, the early journey is not about proving power; it's about understanding the potential in the system and building intentional culture.

It's about leading with clarity when things are ambiguous, with courage when things feel uncertain, and with compassion when things feel heavy. These are not easy skills. They are the muscles that sustain enduring leadership.