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August 1st, 2023

READ TIME: 2 minutes & 55 seconds

I am terrible at taking care of plants.

Everytime I bring a new plant home, I have such high expectations.

I forget all about the other 237488 plants I have failed at in taking care of and this plant.

This plant has all my attention, focus and energy.

It always starts off strong.

Watering it. Grooming it. Moving it around to get it adequate sun and shade.

Everything is going great.

So I get another one. And another one.

And now I have more plants than I can handle and I’m in over my head.

Life gets busy, the excitement isn’t there anymore. My care becomes more inconsistent and they start to die.

So in a last ditch attempt, I give it more water, more sun, and more care in attempts to save it.

I had such high expectations.

So I’ve decided no more plants.

I wonder how many of you feel this way about our journey’s as leaders?

You started off strong, everything was going great, but as time went on and things became familiar, you stopped showing up as much and when you noticed it you tried to do everything you could to bring it back, but it’s too late and now you’re overwhelmed.

You’re not alone.

It reminds me of the first 90 days of being in a new leadership role.

You’re 30 days in, 60 days, in 90 days in and you’re excited as ever, but eventually that excitmenet fades.

But I want to propose that maybe it isn’t what happens after the 90th day that has people feeling this way, but what happens leading up to 90th day.

Studies have shown that leaders who achieve early wins and establish fundamentals in their first 90 days are more likely to have long-term success and appreciation for their work.

So today, I’m going to give you a road map for your first 90 days leading a new team, mission, objective to long-term success.

There’s two types of leaders I’m talking to today:

• The seasoned leader

• The new leader

So this is for everyone. Your longevity doesn’t disqualify you.

The Seasoned Leader

If you’re the former of the two, you’re probably asking, “Why do I need to know how to start my first 90 days well? I’ve been doing this for years?”

Maybe you’re like me when it comes to plants and you stopped doing the things that got you to where you are today.

Maybe you’ve stopped showing up for your team like you used to and they need more from you.

The New Leader

If you’re in the latter, congratulations. You have an opportunity to learn from my own personal experiences.

You’re not always going to be perfect, and you shouldn’t try to. That’s why you have a team to compliment you.

This is the advice that I wished I had when I started my leadership journey 17 years ago.

You got this.

Don’t start against the grain

I’ve made a lot decisions as a leader that weren’t the most popular amongst people, but that I felt were best for the success of the company.

I learned early on that you aren’t always going to be the most popular, and that comes with the position.

I never intentionally came in to ruffle feathers. I didn’t start day one looking to change everything by going against the grain.

It was a build up.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for a lot of leaders.

They come in feeling like they: 

• Have something to prove

• Have to implement change immediately

• Have to protect their ego

And this approach is a recipe for disaster.

I can assure you that if you spend your first 90 days anywhere trying to change things, do it your way, and not take others feedback into consideration, you’ll be asking yourself “Why is nothing I’m doing working?”

Take the “I” out of it.

Early success, what it’s made of?

To get things to work well, you need 3 things:

• Buy in

• Safety

• Trust

Your team needs to know that you’re not only going to listen to them, but also put their feedback into action & show up for them.

This is why in the first 90 days of anything, I don’t try to make any major changes.

Instead, I focus on spending time with stakeholders in 1-on-1 or group settings to get an idea of the state of how things have been and where they would like to go.

Rather than pointing out what is wrong and what needs to change, I spend time synthesizing information and giving as much kudos and credit as I can to employees and team members.

By minimizing change during this time period, I am making it known to everyone that listening is more important than what I want and it creates a foundation of trust amongst the people you are leading.

Remember, people support what they are apart of building.

Your first 90 days roadmap

Your first 90 days of anything can be overwhelming. As a new leader, you’re going to have people who will come at your from all sides with their own opinions on change that should happen.

Everyone wants the ear of the new leader.

You have to respect it and understand that you’re potentially coming into a place where people were not heard out before.

This is why it is so important to have a plan for your first 90 days that can guide you versus being pulled in every direction trying to please everyone.

Instead of a traditional 30-60-90 approach, I like to focus on phases with tangible action items attached to each.

Just because you completed something in phase 1, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep doing that in phase 3.

Without further ado, here is my First 90 Days Roadmap to set you and your team up for long-term success.

Phase 1: Preparation

The goal of this first phase is to prepare yourself and create a clear plan and intentions for what you want to achieve in the next 90 days as a new leader.

Most would expect that listening would come first, but without a plan, where will all that feedback go.

It’s important to know who YOU are as a leader before you go to other people.

Tangible Outcomes

1. Define Your Leadership Vision: Craft a compelling vision that aligns with the company's goals and your personal values. Clearly articulate your leadership philosophy and how it will positively impact the team.

2. Set Specific Goals: Identify measurable objectives you aim to accomplish within the first 90 days. Break down these goals into actionable steps with realistic timelines.

3. Stakeholder Mapping: Create a comprehensive list of key stakeholders across different levels of the organization. Identify their roles and potential impact on your leadership journey.

Phase 2: Listening Tour

The goal of this phase to to purely listen to your team.

Even if you’ve been apart of the organization and you’re getting promoted, you’re going to be seeing it from an entirely different perspective and with that change comes the need to acclimate yourself.

The CEO of United, Oscar Munoz spent his first 90 days as a new CEO by going on a listening tour throughout the company.

Tangible Outcomes

1. Diverse Perspectives: Before you move on from this phase, you should speak to at least 2 people from every level of the organization. Yes, every level.

2. Venture Beyond the Usual: Go to the places where people haven't gone. Engage with team members in different departments and locations to gain a comprehensive understanding.

3. Practice Active Listening: Actually listen and take the time to reflect on the insights and feedback shared by your team members. Demonstrate genuine interest in their experiences and concerns.

Phase 3: Testing, Testing, Testing.

The goal of this phase is not to implement all the changes at once, but to collaborate with stakeholders on potential ideas and gather their feedback.

Tangible Outcomes

1. Idea Formulation: Engage with key stakeholders to discuss potential initiatives and changes based on the feedback received during the listening tour. Collaboratively formulate ideas that align with your vision and the organization's objectives.

2. Collect Stakeholder Feedback: Present the proposed ideas to stakeholders and encourage honest feedback. Take note of their insights and suggestions for improvement.

3. Phased Implementation Plan: Develop a well-thought-out plan for implementing changes in a phased manner. Prioritize high-impact initiatives and set achievable timelines for their execution.

I hope this helps you or a leader in your circle!

Until next time,

Pierre Inspires

Go Deeper on This Topic

📰 Society for Human Resource Management, “Your First 90 Days as a New Manager.”

📚 Michael D. Watkins’, “The First 90 Days.”

📲 How Oscar Munoz of United Airlines spent his first 90 days as new CEO.

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I hope this helps you or a leader in your circle.

Until next time, PierreInspires

P.S. If you have any questions, thoughts, or additional stories to share, please don't hesitate to reach out. Let's support and learn from each other as we strive to become the best leaders we can be.