The ‘First 90 Days’ Blueprint for Retail Leaders

Stepping into a new leadership role often feels like being pushed on stage halfway through a play. The house lights are up, everyone’s watching, and they’re all expecting you to know your lines. The pressure is immense. There’s that constant pull between the urge to prove yourself with quick, decisive action and the critical need to avoid alienating the very people whose support you need to succeed.

It’s a delicate balancing act, and the stakes are incredibly high. Research consistently shows that 40% of executives stumble or underperform in their first few months. From my experience placing and coaching senior leaders, I’ve seen time and again that how you navigate these first 90 days often defines your entire tenure. Get it right, and you build a foundation of trust and momentum. Get it wrong, and you risk becoming another statistic.

So, how do you make sure you’re building, not digging?

Balance Quick Wins with the Long Game

The temptation to make a big, splashy change in your first month is huge. You want to show the board they made the right choice. But credibility is a fragile currency. Burning it on a short-term gimmick can be a costly mistake.

Instead of looking for a "quick win," focus on a "credibility win." This is a small, smart, and highly visible change that solves a genuine, long-standing frustration for your team.

Instead of: Announcing a major, disruptive restructure.

Try: Fixing the ridiculously complicated weekly reporting process that everyone hates.

This kind of win demonstrates competence and shows you’ve listened to the team’s pain points. It proves you’re there to help, not just to impose your will.

Listen Before You Act

When you arrive with a fresh pair of eyes, problems can seem glaringly obvious. The urge to jump in and start "fixing" things is almost irresistible. Resist it. Every organisation has a complex history and a hidden logic that you can’t possibly understand in your first few weeks.

Your primary job in the first month is to learn.

• Ask open questions: "Can you walk me through how this works?" or "What do you think is the biggest obstacle to our success here?"

• Listen more than you talk: Aim for an 80/20 split in your one-to-one meetings.

• Understand the "why": That inefficient process might exist for a reason you’re not yet aware of.

Acting before you’ve truly learned the dynamics is the fastest way to lose the respect of your new colleagues.

Map Your Alliances

In every business, there’s the formal organisational chart, and then there’s the real one. Understanding who holds influence (both officially and behind the scenes) is one of the most critical tasks of your first 90 days.

Identify the key players:

1. The Formal Leaders: Your direct reports and peers.

2. The Influencers: The long-serving, respected individuals who may not have a fancy title but whose opinions carry enormous weight. These are your "go-to" people.

3. The Sceptics: The people who seem resistant to change. It’s crucial to understand their concerns early on. Winning them over, or at least neutralising their opposition, will be vital.

Spend time with these individuals. Understand what they value, what they fear, and what they hope for. This political map is as important as any P&L statement.

Build Trust with Your Team

Your new team is likely feeling a mix of hope and apprehension. This is especially true in retail, where staff turnover can be incredibly high, sometimes exceeding 50%. This means you are likely inheriting a team that has seen leaders come and go. They are looking for stability and a reason to believe in your leadership.

You cannot build a future with them until you have honoured their past.

• Start by recognising what’s been achieved and what’s working well. Never start by criticising.

• You don’t have all the answers, and it’s okay to admit that. Say things like, "I'm going to be relying on your expertise here."

• Frame your strategy not as your plan, but as our plan. Use inclusive language: "What can we do to solve this?" or "Here's what I believe we can achieve together."

Trust isn't built in a single town hall meeting. It's built slowly, through consistent, respectful, and honest interactions, one day at a time.

Closing Thought

Before you even step into the office on day one, your single most powerful tool is a simple list of questions. Forget about your 30-60-90 day plan, focus on your 30-60-90 day learning agenda. Who are the 20 people you absolutely must speak to? What are the five most important questions you need to ask each of them?

Your first three months are defined not by the decisions you make, but by the quality of the information you gather. This is more critical than ever, especially as recent data shows the average tenure for a CEO is shrinking. The respect you earn by listening will be the foundation for every change you make later.