You can plan the transition well. You can do the handover properly. You can build a 90 day plan.
And year one will still stretch you. In ways that are not always visible from the outside.
Over the past few months I have spoken with several CEOs in their first year. One stepping into her second CEO role. Another stepping into her first CEO role as an internal successor with a carefully planned transition. Others arriving from outside the organisation for the first time.
Preparation helped. It did not make it easy.
What I keep hearing is this. Year one is not a sprint. It is a trade-off exercise. And it is heavier than most expect.
Year One Is Not a Sprint
One CEO put it bluntly.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to make clear trade-offs. You cannot be at full power on all fronts.”
When you step into the role your instinct is to get to grips with everything. You want to build trust internally while building credibility externally. You feel the pressure to strengthen fundraising while protecting culture. You are holding the long-term vision while fixing things that clearly are not working.
You want to do it all well.
You quickly realise you cannot.
Year one forces disciplined subtraction. Clear priorities. Explicit trade-offs. Not because the other things do not matter, but because you are the constraint.
It also forces you to confront pace.
Most first year CEOs push hard. It is adrenaline, responsibility, and the desire to prove the board made the right choice. But that pace is not sustainable.
Protecting your energy is not indulgent. It is organisational stewardship. If you are depleted, the organisation is weaker.
You Inherit More Than Strategy
No one steps into a blank slate.
You inherit history. Relationships. Cultural habits. Unmade decisions.
Often you start with the executive team.
“I knew the executive team would need reshaping. What I underestimated was how much hidden fragility sat underneath.”
No CEO inherits a neutral structure. Leadership change shifts standards, pace, visibility and scrutiny. What felt stable before can feel exposed very quickly.
The leadership you inherit may not be the leadership you need for where you are heading, or for what complements your own strengths and gaps.
Some leaders were deeply loyal to the previous CEO and struggle to recalibrate. Some were already tired and see transition as a natural exit. Some were comfortable in ambiguity and now face sharper prioritisation and clearer accountability. Some realise the new direction is not the one they want to build.
And sometimes, if you are honest, issues had been tolerated for too long. Underperformance managed around. Strategic gaps masked by strong relationships. Weak layers beneath senior roles that no one wanted to destabilise.
Boards should expect executive team movement in year one. The organisation will rarely find it easy.
“Mid-year there was staff reaction. ‘So many leaders are leaving. Is it the money? Is it the strategy?’ We had to double down on change management and messaging, so it did not erode trust.”
There is also the difficult middle ground. When something is not working but it is not a clean performance issue. The legalities are complex. The human cost is real. You are cautioned not to move too quickly. You worry about destabilising the organisation.
And yet sometimes the cost of waiting is higher than the cost of acting.
“The consequences of keeping someone can be greater than the consequences of letting them go.”
That is where year one leadership becomes real. Not in the vision statements. In the uncomfortable practical calls that determine whether the organisation can execute.
The Board Takes More Time Than You Think
Even with strong planning. Even if you are an internal successor. Even if you know the board well.
There are still surprises.
One of the biggest is how much time and energy it takes to build and manage the board relationship properly.
It is not just about producing good board packs or getting decisions through.
It is about shaping how the board works with you.
But the real value often sits outside the formal meetings.
It is the one-to-one conversations. The discussions before something difficult lands in the board room. The ability to test thinking early rather than defending it late.
It is not just about knowing what to share for decision, information, or input.
It is about knowing what to share for support.
And this is where year one becomes nuanced.
How open should you be about the challenges you are experiencing. How much vulnerability is helpful and when does it risk undermining confidence. How do you show steadiness while also being honest about the complexity you are carrying.
There is a difference between bringing a problem fully formed and bringing a dilemma early.
That balance takes judgement. And it takes time.
Many new CEOs underestimate how much of year one is spent not just leading the organisation, but actively shaping a board relationship that offers challenge, stretch, and real support.
Board relationships are not neutral. They either become a source of strength or a source of friction.
You Trade Immersion for Influence
The emotional layer often surprises even experienced leaders.
“I have not found my people yet.”
If you have led an organisation for years, you had deep trust and shared history. People who could challenge you, steady you, or tell you hard truths. When you step into something new, that does not exist yet.
You can feel lonelier than expected.
There is also the shift in proximity to the work.
“I miss the field. Sometimes when I go it becomes a big ‘CEO visit’ and I almost want to be undercover.”
You trade immersion for influence.
You trade depth for breadth. The title opens doors. The diversity of the role can be energising.
But you can miss the direct contact with the work that grounded you.
If that is what gives you energy, you need to plan for it.
Year one can drain you faster than you expect if you do not.
What You Learn Under Pressure
Year one also reveals parts of your leadership you have not fully tested.
“I was surprised by the feedback. People said I stayed calm through so many storms. I did not panic. I could steady the room.”
Many CEOs feel privately that they are barely holding things together. Meanwhile their teams experience steadiness and clarity.
You do not fully know your leadership under pressure until it is forced to surface.
Year one is not about being nice. It is about caring enough to hold standards.
“Half love, half toughness.”
It is easy to confuse kindness with avoiding hard conversations. Year one forces you to separate the two.
You can care deeply about people and still raise the bar.
Isolation Is Optional
Loneliness is a real risk in year one. But it is not inevitable.
The difference often comes down to intentional support.
The CEOs who navigate year one best are not the ones who go it alone. They are the ones who build deliberate support structures.
A coach or mentor.
A small peer CEO network.
A trusted executive sounding board.
Honest, grown-up board relationships.
If you are the one steadying the room, you need somewhere you can take the mask off.
Asking for help in year one should be normal, not exceptional.
It Feels Heavy Because It Is
Even with planning. Even with a strong board. Even with a thoughtful handover. Even with experience.
Year one will often feel heavier than you imagined.
Not because you are failing.
Because you are carrying legacy, ambiguity, expectation, trade-offs and identity shifts.
If your first year feels harder than you thought it would, that is not incompetence. It is leadership.
Do not do it alone.
And as you navigate year one, start planning year two. The shifts you make now are what make the next stage possible.
For those who have stepped into the CEO role. What surprised you most in your first year?
Warmly,
Liz
Strategic Advisor | Former CEO | Founder, Volante
Based in Kenya, available globally
