From Resume to Results: What Makes a CEO Thrive in the First 90 Days (ODW5037)-From Resume to Results: What Makes a CEO Thrive in the First 90 Days Presentation

From Resume to Results: What Makes a CEO Thrive in the First 90 Days Presentation

Pdf Summary

This document from HealthSearch Partners presents insights and innovative tactics for new healthcare CEOs to succeed during their critical first 90 days in leadership roles, amid rising executive turnover in 2023. CEO turnover increased 42%, with similar trends in CFO, COO, and CNO roles, driven by executive burnout, board pressures, retirements, generational shifts, and financial market pressures post-pandemic.<br /><br />The first 90 days are framed as a “make-or-break” period for setting leadership tone, building trust, engaging teams, and gaining early momentum. Key leadership mindsets include entering as learners, active listening, balancing humility with decisiveness, and maintaining visible presence. The transition approach is segmented into Day 1-30 focusing on listening and trust-building through stakeholder interviews; Day 31-60 for assessment, alignment, and action; and Day 61-90 for delivering visible early wins that reinforce vision and lay a foundation for long-term success.<br /><br />The series emphasizes practical onboarding strategies including cultural immersion, frontline engagement, and tackling operational “quick wins” alongside strategic initiatives. CEOs are advised to avoid rushing into decisions without cultural understanding and to engage physicians and staff early. Board engagement should balance transparency with focused communication aligned to board priorities.<br /><br />Real-world leadership examples illustrate these principles: Richard Parks immersed himself by sleeping in the hospital to build trust; Wayne Sensor conducted unannounced holiday rounds and monthly CEO lunches to foster dialogue and identify operational fixes; Dan Castillo’s after-midnight rounds led to cultural transformation and measurable safety improvements; Jim Decker applied the “25:50:25 rule” by empowering early adopters and moving the undecided majority.<br /><br />Overall, the First 90-Day Leadership Series promotes authentic, visible, and strategic leadership that balances quick operational improvements with deeper cultural and strategic alignment to navigate healthcare leadership transitions successfully.

Keywords

healthcare CEO onboarding

first 90 days leadership

executive turnover 2023

leadership transition strategies

CEO trust-building

healthcare leadership mindset

operational quick wins

board engagement healthcare

cultural immersion healthcare

executive burnout healthcare