First 90 Days

Title: First 90 Days

Author: Michael D. Watkins

Quote

"To be successful, you need to mobilize the energy of many others in your organization. If you do the right things, then your vision, your expertise, and your drive can propel you forward and serve as seed crystals."

Why I like it

It's a great toolkit for leaders in new companies or new roles. As a new leader, it can feel like you need to show impact immediately. Reserving the first 90 days to learn and observe will serve you and your organization better than rushing into action. Fresh eyes are a superpower. Use them!

How I use it

I use this framework as my onboarding guide for managers and more senior engineers.

30-day goals: Meet the team, attend meetings, listen, and share your observations with me.

• The new leader has a clear goal and establishes the expectation to start slowly.

• I get feedback on the team from a new perspective.

60-day goals: Participate in meetings, identify strategies for addressing observations from first 30 days, and set a goal for the next 30 days based on your strengths and the needs of the organization.

• The new leader focuses their efforts and participates in the goal setting process.

• I am able to understand which opportunities are most interesting to the new leader, provide context, and align expectations.

90-day goals: Deliver on your self-defined goal and make an impact on the team.

• The new leader creates an early win that they can be proud of!

• I am able see results and give feedback quickly.

How do approach learning and setting goals when starting a new role?