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1-Page Summary of The First 90 Days

Overview

The First 90 Days is a handbook for executives who are new to their positions. It provides lessons on how to succeed in the first three months of being in that position. Above all, it’s important to make a strong transition during this time because it can be the difference between long-term success and failure.

New leaders should take a period of learning and analysis before making any major changes. This is because new bosses, colleagues, and employees are all watching them closely to see what they’re like as leaders. New leaders can use this time to get a feel for what’s working well at the company already and figure out how they can make small improvements that will have big impacts in the long term.

New leaders should focus on three areas during their first 90 days. These include the organization’s structure and alignment, working with superiors, and public perception of the company. Controlling these aspects will help new leaders manage external forces better.

Key Takeaways

The first 90 days on the job are important for an employee, no matter what position they hold.

A 90-day transition is a critical time period for new leaders. It’s often the first and last chance they have to prove themselves. To be successful, new leaders should focus on learning about their company and not changing it too quickly in the beginning. They need to define what success means for them right away so that they can work with their boss or other stakeholders on defining that goal together.

Early Wins are Important

When you’re new to a leadership position, you should focus on adjusting the organization and aligning it with your vision. Once that’s done, then you can consider other changes.

New leaders should build their teams carefully. It’s not a good idea to make hasty decisions about staffing too early in the process.

Key Takeaway 1: The first 90 days are critical to determining future success in a new role. This is true for any employee, from a CEO to a first-time manager.

When a new leader is hired, they may have the ability to influence their trajectory in the company. If they’re successful early on, it can help them through any hard times later on. One way for them to secure early wins is by influencing chain reactions that create positive momentum.

People form impressions of people quickly. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy has been studying this phenomenon for the last 15 years, and she found that trust and respect are two key factors in forming relationships with other employees or coworkers. She also found that competence is particularly important to workers who value leadership skills.

Leaders often get misjudged by others based on their appearance. However, if they take action and do great things, they can change the way people see them.

For example, Anna may initially be seen as competent and intelligent when people first meet her. However, if she then makes significant changes without understanding the reasons behind them, employees will start to think that she’s not a good leader. This will make it difficult for her to lead in the future because people won’t trust her judgment.

However, her reputation from the previous company or some rumors may make people think she’s a self-important egomaniac. But if she listens to everyone and doesn’t take any rash decisions, her actions will speak for themselves. She’ll be able to change people’s perception of her as someone who does their homework and is willing to listen before acting.

New leaders should try to reach their break-even point as quickly as possible. That’s when they’ve given the company just as much value as the company has given them through training and onboarding.