The Transition Arc
A structured approach to high-stakes leadership transitions.
Phase I:
Readiness
Mindset Shift
This is the work before Day One.
Not confidence theatre — but honest readiness.
The quiet doubts. The untested assumptions. The habits that worked before but won’t scale now.
The focus here is personal and strategic readiness:
clarifying what you’re stepping into
identifying derailers before they surface
setting a grounded internal mandate
This phase replaces guesswork with clarity — and converts self-doubt into a deliberate starting position.
Phase II:
Alignment
90-Day Mandate
The first three months are decisive.
Noise is high. Expectations are diffuse. The real challenge is maintaining clarity while everything moves.
The focus here is mandate clarity and alignment:
decoding culture and power dynamics
aligning intent with organizational reality
securing early credibility without overextension
This phase ensures your actions are intentional — not reactive.
Phase III:
Integration
180-Day Milestone
Months four to six are where leadership is tested.
Energy meets resistance. Strategy meets system behaviour.
Common signals here are overdrive, friction, or quiet stagnation.
The focus here is integration:
translating strategy into shared ownership
navigating political pressure without compromise
embedding habits that reduce reliance on personal force
This phase turns direction into traction — and prevents burnout masked as momentum.
Phase IV:
Execution
Credible Success
Months seven to twelve are not about survival. They’re about stewardship.
Visibility increases. Loneliness deepens. The role shifts from driving change to owning the system.
The focus here is sustained impact:
establishing decision authority
building self-sustaining leadership rhythms
ensuring the transition holds when attention moves elsewhere
This phase is where success becomes credible — and repeatable.