The 5 behaviours that drive leadership success

When we asked C-Suite leaders what mattered most in their transitions, their answers converged around five critical behaviours. These weren’t about technical expertise, they were about human dynamics.

Here’s what stood out:

1. Contextual Intelligence

The ability to understand culture, history, and informal networks before making big moves.

2. Strategic Stakeholder Orchestration

Identifying and prioritising relationships systematically - balancing the needs of boards, peers, direct reports, and external partners.

3. Authentic Adaptability

Adjusting your leadership style to fit the new context, without losing your core values.

4. Proactive Onboarding Ownership

Taking charge of your transition rather than waiting for the organisation to guide you.

5. Early Trust-Building

Establishing credibility and delivering on commitments within the first 30 days.

Why these behaviours matter

Executives don’t get a 100-day honeymoon period anymore. Every interaction, every early decision, builds or erodes trust. Leaders who mastered these behaviours accelerated their impact and avoided derailment.

A call to organisations

These behaviours can’t be left to chance. Organisations should:

• Build structured opportunities for leaders to practice contextual intelligence

• Encourage proactive ownership rather than passive onboarding

• Support early trust-building with transparent feedback loops

The human side of success

At its heart, leadership in transition isn’t about being the smartest in the room. It’s about being the most attuned, adaptable, and trustworthy.

Download the full report, Rethinking Executive Transitions, to learn more about the role of the inner game and the five behaviours that drive C-Suite success