7 Focus Areas for CXOs During Role Transitions

I know the business. I’ll figure out the rest.

That’s what he told me in our first session.

Three months into his CXO role at a new organization.

Brilliant track record. Deep industry expertise.

But something wasn’t working.

“Walk me through what’s happening,” I asked.

“I understand the business better than most people here. I’ve done this before. But decisions aren’t landing the way I expected. My team seems… hesitant.”

“What do you mean by hesitant?”

“They nod in meetings. But nothing moves forward with urgency. It’s like there’s an invisible wall.”

“What have you focused on since joining?”

“Learning the P&L. Understanding the market. Getting up to speed on operations. The technical stuff.”

“And what conversations have you had with people?”

Pause.

“I’ve met them. We have our one-on-ones.”

“What do you think matters to them?”

Longer pause.

“Not sure.”

Here’s what we discovered:

✓ He’d mastered the what.
✗ But missed the who.

✓ He understood the business
✗ But not the culture that drives decisions

✓ He knew the org chart
✗ But not the informal power dynamics

✓ He had a vision
✗ But hadn’t built the relationships to bring it to life

👉 Technical mastery gets you in the door.
✨ But it’s the human side that determines if you’ll succeed.

(Swipe through the carousel to see the 7 critical focus areas most leaders miss during transitions)

What changed for him?

● He stopped trying to prove he was right ~ He started asking what was working there

● He stopped solving everything alone ~ He started building alliances

Six months later, his team wasn’t hesitant anymore.

They were committed.

Here’s what he told me:

“I thought focusing on the business would make me successful. ~ Turns out, focusing on the people is what actually moved the business forward.”

👉 The transition isn’t just about learning the role.
✨ It’s about earning the right to lead.

👉 Technical competence opens doors.
✨ But human connection builds momentum.

👉You can know everything about the business.
✨But if you don’t understand the people, nothing will move.

What’s one thing that helped you settle faster in your last transition?

Ashwni Sharma

Executive & Leadership Coach ( ICF-PCC → MCC in Progress ) · Marshall Goldsmith Certified · Founder & MD, A Brighter Life

Ashwni, the Founder and MD of A Brighter Life, is dedicated to empowering leaders to enhance their effectiveness, mindfulness, and influence for joyful success. With over 27+ years of corporate experience, driven by his passion for personal transformation, Ashwni left a successful career spanning four major companies across the UK, USA, and India. Working with CXOs, Board Members, and Top Leaders globally, he combines business management skills with life transformation expertise to enable practical and applicable conversations and actions. He holds international certifications as an Executive Coach and has mastered modalities such as NLP and Hypnotherapy. Ashwni’s passion lies in fostering self-leadership as the foundation for leadership development.

Connect with Ashwni Sharma