Is executive contracting a good career move?

The False Promise of “Hiring Alone” In the high-stakes world of leadership recruitment, securing the right executive is a monumental achievement. Yet, despite exhaustive search processes and rigorous selection criteria, studies consistently reveal that nearly 40% of new CEOs fail to meet expectations within their first 18 months. The gap between appointment and impact is where many leadership failures silently take root. The traditional mindset sees hiring as the culmination of the leadership journey. It’s the trophy moment, the announcement, the celebration. But this is dangerously incomplete. Appointment is merely the entry ticket; the true challenge lies in transitioning that leader from “candidate” to “trusted, effective change-agent” within a new complex, dynamic organisation. Success in leadership is as much about who you hire as how you land. The Designed Landing: A Strategic Imperative This concept of a designed landing reframes executive onboarding as a deliberate, psychologically informed process. It acknowledges that leaders confront not only new responsibilities but new cultures, relationships, and expectations that require careful navigation. The first six months in a new role are among the most demanding for any senior leader. They must navigate a new culture, align stakeholders, build credibility, and deliver early results, all while under close scrutiny. Even the strongest leaders tell us this period can make or break their long-term success. Introducing LEAP: KTalent’s Holistic Answer to Leadership Transitions At KTalent, we have translated these insights into the Leadership & Executive Adjustment Program (LEAP), a proprietary onboarding framework co-designed with organisational psychologists and leadership experts. LEAP is not an off-the-shelf orientation. It is a bespoke, science-backed program that integrates: Immersive onboarding plans tailored to leader roles and stakeholder ecosystems. High-touch, iterative coaching focused on accelerating impact, enhancing communication, and navigating organisational complexity. Real-time progress monitoring and ongoing support to pre-empt challenges and sustain momentum. This approach has demonstrated transformative results: enhanced satisfaction for both the organisation and the new leader, increased speed-to-impact, and organisational alignment that elevates business performance. Takeaway: Rebalance Your Leadership Equation The future of executive success demands a paradigm shift from “Hire and Hope” to “Hire and Design.” Organisations that embrace designed landings will realise that true leadership impact comes not from the rarity of talent alone, but from the quality of transition. The LEAP program addresses that gap; it is the bridge that turns leadership skills into organisational reality. For those committed to making leadership appointments serve as powerful catalysts for growth and resilience, designed landings are a new solution to reduce derailment and increase success among your leadership team. Appoint thoughtfully, land intentionally, and lead decisively. That is the leadership equation for the future.

The Leadership Failure No One Talks About Leadership failure rarely starts with performance. It starts before that, in the gap between appointment and alignment. And no one’s paying enough attention to it. Executive onboarding is one of the most overlooked drivers of leadership success or failure. It’s often treated as a handover, a checklist, or a few courtesy meetings. In reality, it’s a high-risk period where pressure is high, context is low, and impact is expected fast. This Isn’t an HR Task, it’s a Leadership Priority Many organisations still see onboarding as an operational process. IT access. Welcome emails. A 90-day plan. But for senior leaders, especially external hires, onboarding is not about orientation. It’s about establishing influence. This is when new executives start: Building trust and credibility Navigating organisational politics Decoding the culture beneath the surface Shaping perceptions that will follow them for years And the window is narrow. Miss it, and even the strongest leaders may never fully recover. Why Good Leaders Struggle? The reality is: Expectations are high but rarely explicit Stakeholders are watching but not always supportive Leaders are expected to drive change before they’ve built trust Women or diverse leaders face even more scrutiny Without the right onboarding strategy, even the best hires operate in a vacuum, disconnected, misaligned, and vulnerable to early reputational damage. A Smarter Approach to Executive Transitions  This is where leading organisations are shifting their focus. They’re not just appointing leaders, they’re enabling them. At KTalent, we work with Boards, CEOs, and Heads of People to support onboarding as a strategic leadership transition, not a checklist. Our role is to help organisations reduce risk and accelerate performance by designing the right conditions for a new leader to land well and lead early. Our LEAP (Leadership & Executive Adjustment Program) is embedded in organisational psychology and includes: Contextual onboarding plans tailored to the business landscape Stakeholder alignment to clarify expectations and priorities Coaching that supports trust-building, influence, and momentum Tools to help new leaders navigate culture, decision-making, and internal dynamics Leadership onboarding insights This isn’t onboarding-as-usual. It’s leadership enablement. Because leadership doesn’t start at appointment. It starts with alignment.

Traditional Leadership Transitions Are Failing, But Some Organisations Are Changing the Game. Here’s How