New Leader's Journal Introduction

The new leader's journal tracks the experience of a fictional executive leading up to and through his first 100-days in a new job.

As of this writing, May-28-2011, our fictional executive is in the final stages of interviewing.  We expect him to get an offer the second week in June, leading up to a July 1 start.  (And since we're making this up, we've got a far greater chance of being right than people in the real world would be.)  Given that, the new leader's journal should start in earnest on June 17.


The New Leader’s Journal is a fictional exercise illustrating the prescriptions and tools in the 3rd edition of The New Leader’s 100-Day Action PlanClick here to request an executive summary.  Click here to pre-order/order a copy.

Read More Articles

Group of executives planning strategies in a office.
Integration Leadership Isn’t a Detail. It’s the Deal.

KKR's $5.7 billion agreement to acquire Integer Holdings closed a strategic review that started back in April. The medtech manufacturer's board ran the process. Advisors ran the numbers. Lawyers ran…

Read Article
In M&A Integration, Culture Isn’t the Soft Part. It’s the Job.

Private equity has been on a buying spree. Bolt-on acquisitions, platform builds, roll-ups across logistics, healthcare, professional services, and beyond. Deal teams have gotten faster and more disciplined about diligence,…

Read Article
The First 100 Days Don’t Start on Day One. They Start Now.

When Infosys named Ashiss Kumar Dash as CEO-designate in July 2026, the announcement came alongside news that the company had lost a major European client - one of several large…

Read Article
A large crowd of people seated closely together, viewed from behind, attending an event or presentation in a dimly lit venue.
The Stakeholders You’re Not Thinking About – And Why They Can Derail Your First 100 Days

Cracker Barrel made headlines when its relatively new CEO departed after less than two years in the role they were hired to transform. The reasons were complex, but one thread…

Read Article
A person holding a clipboard with a blank sheet of paper and a pen poised to write
Outcome-Based Governance: Aligning Policies, Guidelines, and Principles

Policies channel compliance. Guidelines invite contribution. Principles earn commitment. Start with how you want people to behave at work and then design your governance stack to reinforce, not inhibit that.  Three…

Read Article
Concept image of human brain made of blue and gray paint brushes
The Neuroscience of Leadership: Accelerating Growth Mindset and Enterprise Performance

Organizations’ futures depend less on what their people know today than on how fast they can learn, adapt, and execute tomorrow. Building on Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset – the idea that abilities can be…

Read Article