From Resume to Results: What Makes a CEO Thrive in the First 90 Days (ODW5037)-90 Day Articles All w Bio NM KM and Lit 2025.09.09 RED

90 Day Articles All w Bio NM KM and Lit 2025.09.09 RED

Pdf Summary

This comprehensive document from HealthSearch Partners shares innovative leadership tactics employed by accomplished CEOs during their first 90 days in new roles, particularly in healthcare settings. The series highlights practical strategies that focus on relationship-building, immersion in frontline operations, rapid responsiveness to staff needs, and thoughtful external engagement.<br /><br />Key examples include:<br /><br />- Richard Parks, who slept in hospital staff accommodations weekly to understand their experience, built authentic relationships through shared meals, and enacted small but impactful changes like replacing uncomfortable mattresses, boosting morale and trust.<br /><br />- Wayne Sensor, who involved his family in Christmas Day rounding, conducted unannounced staff visits to uncover real issues, and created “Lunch with the CEO” to foster open communication and tangible improvements in workflows.<br /><br />- Dan Castillo’s after-hours “executive rounds” at a large safety-net hospital engaged night shift staff, revealed operational gaps, and led to strategic improvements anchored by transparent metrics and a Lean Academy fostering continuous quality improvement.<br /><br />- Derick Ziegler adopted a hands-on job shadowing approach, fully participating in frontline roles, wearing uniforms, and using staff feedback to initiate wellness programs, team-building activities, and recognition initiatives, building a culture of trust and shared ownership.<br /><br />- Jay Robinson prioritized meeting every organizational leader personally, listening deeply to needs, and translating insights into operational changes and cultural enhancements, such as upgrading uniforms to boost employee pride.<br /><br />- Michael Pulido practiced intentional rounding in less-traveled hospital areas and during off-hours to connect with often-overlooked staff, observe service experience firsthand, and address unique operational challenges.<br /><br />HealthSearch Partners also incorporates insights from executives outside healthcare, such as Feras Asakrieh’s undercover approach to learning frontline challenges in banking, emphasizing trust-building through firsthand experience and aligned 90-day plans.<br /><br />Additional perspectives stress the importance of preparation before day one (Jonathan Donahue), understanding organizational dynamics and power (Anil Prahlad), engaging external stakeholders early (Burl Stamp), and leveraging technology for transparent communication and data management (Therman Trotman).<br /><br />Across these narratives, common themes emerge: leaders succeed early by immersing themselves authentically in their organizations, listening before acting, embracing visible and humble leadership, fostering two-way communication, identifying quick wins, and building relationships internally and externally. These approaches set foundations that transform initial trial periods into momentum for sustainable organizational success.

Keywords

healthcare leadership

CEO first 90 days

relationship-building

frontline immersion

staff engagement

executive rounding

organizational culture

continuous improvement

trust-building

operational strategy