Before your next role: 3 questions worth asking.
Why Leadership Transitions Matter
Stepping into a new role is one of the most pivotal moments in a leader’s career. Research shows the first 90–120 days often determine long-term success. Yet many transitions falter — not because leaders lack skill, but because they underestimate the shift in mindset, presence, and relationships required to succeed at the next level.
This is why the best leaders pause before leaping forward. They ask the right questions of themselves, not just about the work they’ll do, but about the leader they want to become. Think of it as your personal strategy.
Here are three powerful questions every leader should ask before stepping into their next chapter.
Question 1: How Does This Role Align With the Leader I Want to Become?
Successful transitions begin with clarity. It’s easy to focus on tasks, deliverables, and KPIs, but leadership is more than activity, it’s identity.
Consider what three qualities you want to be known for in this role? Leaders who anchor their transitions in who they want to become step into roles with purpose, presence, and strategic influence not just productivity. It’s about the being not the doing!
Question 2: What Old Habits Do I Need to Let Go Of?
Every leadership transition requires unlearning. Habits that helped you succeed before can become blind spots in your new role.
Moving from “fixer” to strategic delegator.
Shifting from operational detail to enterprise focus.
Trading reactive problem-solving for proactive vision.
Action step: List one behaviour you’ll stop doing in your first 30 days, and one new behaviour you’ll intentionally adopt. As letting go creates space for new impact. The faster you release what no longer serves you, the faster you accelerate into true leadership.
Question 3: Which Relationships Should I Prioritise in My First 90 Days?
Leadership is about connection. The first three months in a new role are the best window to establish trust, credibility, and alignment.
Practical tip: Map your top five stakeholders, peers, mentors, or influencers and set intentional conversations with each. Don’t just meet them; ask how you can create value together. Leaders who invest early in relationships create stronger foundations, reduce resistance, and unlock opportunities faster.
Your transition isn’t just about you. When leaders step into roles with clarity and intention, the ripple effect is felt across teams and organisations.
But when transitions go poorly, disengagement, turnover, and stalled momentum show up. Coaching through transition ensures the positive ripple of rising confidence and building resilience in both leaders and the systems they lead. A strategic leader is always evolving, aligning not only with today’s demands but with the future they want to shape.
At Worth Coaching, we work with senior leaders to navigate transitions with clarity, resilience, and presence. Together, we design intentional strategies for the first 90–120 days, so you can build influence, accelerate outcomes, and lead with confidence from day one.
Next Step: Download your free Leadership Transition Checklist https://www.worthcoaching.com.au/leadership-hub or click on the Lets connect button above to book a complimentary 30-min strategy session to explore how coaching can accelerate your next chapter.