Rethinking the 90-Day Plan: How to Build a Realistic Onboarding Timeline
Research by Egon Zehnder with nearly 600 externally hired senior leaders found that almost 60% took six months or more to reach full impact and nearly 20% took over nine months.
A 90-day plan is a useful early framework - but it can also create unrealistic expectations and pressure, anchoring your success to an artificial deadline.
Here’s a better approach: treat your timeline as something to be discovered, not predetermined.
Start with a reality check: How long will it actually take to learn, build relationships, and earn trust?
Make the timeline a shared conversation: Use it to align expectations with your boss, board, or team. Who can help you define what good looks like?
Design for flexibility: Assume things will evolve. How can you account for uncertainty without being vague?
Anchor to outcomes, not days: What decisions do you need to be ready for? What outcomes will show you're gaining traction?
Adapt as you go: How long will it really take to be fully effective in this unique context?
Every role, team, and company is different. Your timeline should be too.