At the start of the new year, many people look forward with excitement as they consider seeking a new professional role or prepare themselves to transition into one they’ve already accepted. Whether you are considering a job change or are approaching the end of that process, let’s quickly review what I call the bad news, the good news, and the even better news.

The Bad News

The bad news is that 40% of executives fail in their new role within the first 18 months. Some studies place the failure rate at up to 70%, suggesting that 3% “fail spectacularly” and 50% “quietly struggle.” Also, 60% of executives at the vice president level said it took them six months or longer to have a full impact in their new roles. The five mistakes that generally can cause you to fail in a new executive role include:

• Not fully vetting the culture to assess your fit

• Not understanding the dynamics of the team

• Failure to fully understand the scope of the role and how that looks from day-to-day

• Failure to quickly set goals/expectations with your boss and the timing of expected results

• Not having your personal strategic plan in place on day one

The first two mistakes have to do with people; the last three have to do with planning.

The Good News

The good news is that you can minimize these mistakes if you do certain things before you accept a new executive role. You can do a lot during the interview process.

The interview process is the time for you to shine, but what some of us forget is that it’s also the best time for us to evaluate our own fit with the existing culture of the company and the existing dynamic of the team you may be charged with leading. It is also the best time to get a very clear definition of the mission of the role, the core competencies needed to succeed in it, and the expected results (and the timing).

Use the interview process to ask the right (and often difficult) questions and it will increase your chances of finding the right seat for you. Spend the time during the interview process assessing the culture and your fit.  Avoid the temptation of selling yourself into something that is not a good fit for you. Here are a few questions you may want to ask:

• What do you like most about the company culture? What adjectives would you use to describe the culture?

• Who are my stakeholders? What is the current dynamic among them?

• How do you believe I can achieve effective leadership early on?

• For this position, what are the mission, competencies required, and expected outcomes/timing?

• What is your integration process, as opposed to onboarding?

• Who may I work with to craft a 30/60/90-day plan for my integration?

• Is there any reason why you believe I am not a good fit for this position?

The Even Better News

The even better news is that you can still address the five potential mistakes even if you’ve already started in your new role and did not explore these issues as part of the interview process. Here are a few suggestions to increase your chances of success in a new role:

Have a detailed conversation with your boss. 

Discuss your mission, expected outcomes, and the timing and measurement of results.

Hit the ground listening. 

Your goal is to understand the organization, its culture, and your team’s capabilities as quickly as you can. Ask the questions that will help you do this and then actively listen to the answers. For example, in one-on-one meetings, consider asking:

• What do you like/value most in your role here?

• What frustrates you, or would you like to see change?

• What is most important to you about how we work together?

• What is the greatest strength of our team?

• Do you think our team members trust one another?

• What does the ideal future look like for you and our team?

• What do you see as the biggest challenge to achieving that future?

• What would be the most important piece of advice/insight you could give me as I start my role here?

• Do you have specific ideas you’d like to share regarding how to improve communication and trust within the team?

Meet with all of your stakeholders. 

If possible, speak in detail to as many as you can, especially in the areas related to your own. Form alliances.

Determine your team’s capabilities. 

Do this before you suggest or implement any substantive changes.  Executives I’ve worked with use both one-on-one meetings and team meetings to assess the skills and interests of each team member, as well as the dynamics of the team when they come together.

Create your own 30/60/90-day strategic plan. 

Make sure it includes both your personal and professional goals and review it with someone you trust.

Even if you do all of these great things before and after you begin your new role, expect your successful integration to take about six months. Define and execute your own integration and you are likely to become successful (and happy) in your new executive role even sooner.

Originally published on Forbes Coaches Council.