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Accelerated Integration

The appointment of any leader to a new role is a watershed moment in both an executive’s life and the life of an organization. Yet while there is great energy and attention given to the selection of that leader, there is another part of the equation that is equally important: making sure that the leader is actually prepared to succeed in that role. The first 100 days are critical — so critical that a bad start can doom an executive, no matter how experienced and ready. We must focus on the transition of that new leader, regardless of whether he or she is an internal or external hire.  

This is where we come in. At Egon Zehnder, we have had a dedicated Accelerated Integration Practice — exclusively focused on helping new leaders adjust to their new roles — since 2009. Since then, we have been retained to support the transitions of more than 500 leaders, many of them CEOs, in more than 30 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Our experience has shown that Accelerated Integration can as much as halve the time it takes new leaders to reach their full effectiveness — leading directly to bottom-line results.  

Our work begins the moment we enter a dialogue with an executive preparing for a transition, working with them to identify the opportunities and risks involved. We also help companies communicate and explain their choice and prepare leaders for their coming role. For more-senior leaders, we may recommend that they attend our Executive Breakthrough Program to help fill in gaps and build the personal awareness necessary for a top C-suite role. Then, long before the new executive’s first day, we work with them to make the strongest possible initial impact. We help them understand the current company culture. We run through the key stakeholders they will need to deal with, and their personalities. We also review the expectations placed on them by their line manager and/or the board. With them we think through the implications of those expectations and how they can best communicate what they are there to do. We also reflect with them on the potential pitfalls of the job and tactics to anticipate and prevent them. 

In the first 30 days, we work on “building momentum,” using personalized coaching to help the executive learn how to build trust in his or her team and to shape first impressions. We then focus on "accelerating impact," continuing to work closely on their transition well into the third month and often longer. This includes coaching, 360-degree evaluation, and targeted feedback, all focused on helping the leader make the strongest initial traction in the organization and ensuring that they course-correct quickly if needed. Above all, we seek to guard against the complacency we see in many organizations, where there is an assumption that the high caliber of talent they have chosen for a senior role will be sufficient to master any issues posed by what are often increasingly challenging transitions. Ensuring in this way that a senior appointment makes the best possible initial impact is seen as a wise investment by the more thoughtful and performance-oriented companies across a wide variety of sectors, sizes, and countries.   


Accelerated Integration Consultants

Mark Byford

Mark Byford

London

Global Lead

Mark Byford, based in London, guides global clients on board and CEO succession, C-suite coaching, and organizational development. He advises public… Read more

Lena Triantogiannis

Lena Triantogiannis

Athens

Global Lead

Lena Triantogiannis co-leads Egon Zehnder’s partnership with Mobius Executive Leadership as well as its global Accelerated Integration practice. Read more

Matthias Bolling

Matthias Bolling

Boston

Matthias Bolling, based in Boston, supports industrial, technology, and private equity clients and organizations with a global manufacturing… Read more

Mark Stuart-Smith

Mark Stuart-Smith

Boston

Based in Boston and St. Louis, Mark Stuart-Smith is active in Egon Zehnder’s Consumer and Leadership Advisory practices. Mark focuses on CEO… Read more

Keren Latzer

Keren Latzer

Boston

Based in Boston, Keren Latzer is an active member of Egon Zehnder’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice, with a keen interest in Human… Read more

Jeff Otto

Jeff Otto

Atlanta, Palo Alto

Jeff Otto is the leader of Egon Zehnder’s Engineering and Research & Development Officers Practice. He also leads the North America Semiconductor… Read more

Ian Bolin

Ian Bolin

Atlanta, Detroit

Ian Bolin, based in Atlanta and Detroit, leads Egon Zehnder’s Global Automotive and Mobility Practice. Read more

Simmi Singh

Simmi Singh

Chicago, Washington, D.C.

Simmi Singh is based in Egon Zehnder’s Chicago office, and in her decade with the Firm, has played a founding and leadership role in the Firm’s… Read more

Edilson Camara

Edilson Camara

Chicago, Toronto

Based in Chicago, Edilson Camara is Egon Zehnder’s Chief Executive Officer. Drawing on his deep experience in natural resources and heavy industry… Read more

Douglas Kush

Douglas Kush

Chicago

Doug Kush is a Partner in the Chicago office of Egon Zehnder. While at Egon Zehnder, he has held multiple leadership roles including Global Head of… Read more

Michael Portland

Michael Portland

Chicago

Michael Portland is a member of Egon Zehnder’s CEO and Board Consulting practices and has deep expertise in CEO and C-suite succession, executive… Read more

Michael Sheehy

Michael Sheehy

Chicago

Mike Sheehy, based in Chicago, is active in Egon Zehnder’s global Health Practice, partnering with clients across the healthcare spectrum to help them… Read more

Megan Trice

Megan Trice

Chicago, Minneapolis

Based in Minneapolis, Megan Trice is active in Egon Zehnder’s Consumer Practice. She draws on deep experience across financial services, consumer… Read more

Gabi Carvalho

Gabi Carvalho

Miami

Gabi Carvalho leads Egon Zehnder’s Financial Services Practice for the Americas focusing on Payments, Retail Banking, FinTech and Insurance. Read more

Gina Stearns

Gina Stearns

Miami

Based in Miami, Gina Stearns is active in Egon Zehnder’s Travel & Hospitality, Services, Consumer, and Leadership Advisory practices. Read more

Steven Goodman

Steven Goodman

Houston

Steve Goodman is Egon Zehnder’s Managing Partner in Houston and previously led the North American Energy Practice. Today, he advises clients across… Read more


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