Welcome To Executiveland: What No One Tells You About Life At The Top

Welcome to Executiveland: What nobody tells you about becoming an executive.
Just landed an executive role? Here’s a suggestion: Don’t wait to be onboarded - create your own executive start plan. Most senior leaders expect some version of a “first 100 days” playbook, but the truth is you’ll be judged within the first 30. Instead of waiting for guidance that may never come, take control from day one.
Prioritize these actions in your first month:
Map your influence landscape. Identify who holds power and who has your back—these are not always the same people.
Audit the mess. Spend your first 30 days gathering brutally honest insight from your team. Ask: “What’s not working that I need to know about?” “What isn’t anyone telling me?”
Set one near-term win. Choose a visible, solvable problem that you can address quickly. It builds momentum and signals capability.
Schedule time with skeptics. Don’t just talk to allies—meet with critics early. Ask, “What would success look like in your eyes 6 months from now?”
What else can you do to set yourself up for success? Try these:
Know the Unspoken Rules of Your New Executive Role.
You won’t find them written anywhere, but they will define your success. For instance: Decipher the real goals. If a priority isn’t being measured or rewarded, it’s not actually a priority. Ask: “What happens if we don’t hit this target?”
Learn How Executive Decisions Really Get Made.
Who influences the CEO? Watch how people behave when big topics arise. Know what not to change. Before introducing bold ideas, ask what sacred cows you’re about to challenge—and decide if the timing is right.
Build a High-Performing Team Without Waiting for HR to Step In.
Executives are only as effective as the team they lead. Getting clear on the talent you have, where the gaps are, and making tough calls early is not always easy, but essential. Here’s one simple way to quickly raise the bar: Redesign your team meetings. Cut the updates. Shift to problem-solving. Close every meeting with ownership. Then follow up.