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Synopsis

First 90 Days provides proven strategies to make the first 90 days of a new job count. The framework here applies to start-ups and established businesses and helps anyone successfully take on a new role. To jump-start a new position, there are five focus points for diagnosing the new situation, creating strategies, and taking control quickly.

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These strategies can be applied in a remote work setting in several ways. Firstly, you can diagnose the new situation by understanding the remote work culture and dynamics. Secondly, create strategies that are suitable for remote work, such as setting clear communication channels and expectations. Lastly, take control quickly by showing initiative and being proactive in your remote role.

These strategies can help in achieving work-life balance in a new job by providing a framework to understand and adapt to the new situation quickly. By focusing on diagnosing the new situation, creating strategies, and taking control quickly, one can manage their time and responsibilities effectively, leading to a better work-life balance.

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Summary

Assessing your strengths and weaknesses

It's critical to self-evaluate strengths and weaknesses and how they relate to the responsibilities of the new role before creating a 90-day plan. By relating current skills to the specifics of the new role, it creates a smoother, faster transition and increases the chances of success.

It's important to remember that what may seem like strengths can sometimes be interpreted as weaknesses in a new role. While having attention to detail may have been a strength in a prior role, it could be seen as micro-management and lead to resentment. Once strengths and weaknesses are identified, and their impact is understood, it's time to create a strategy for filling in any gaps in skills and fine-tuning current skills.

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Some examples of strengths that could be misinterpreted as weaknesses in a new role include attention to detail, which could be seen as micromanagement, or being highly organized, which could be perceived as inflexibility. Another example could be assertiveness, which might be seen as aggressiveness in a new role. It's important to understand how these strengths can be perceived differently and adjust your approach accordingly.

One can ensure their strengths are not seen as weaknesses in a new role by understanding the context and expectations of the new role. It's important to communicate effectively and clarify how your strengths can contribute to the role. Also, be open to feedback and willing to adapt your approach if necessary. It's crucial to understand that strengths in one context may not always translate to strengths in another, and be ready to develop new skills or adjust existing ones to fit the new role.

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Diagnosing your situation

With a clear understanding of how current skills relate to the new role, diagnosing the situation can begin. It's a common mistake for someone taking over a new role to want to make changes quickly before they understand the company climate. How the company operates and how they define the new role must be part of an effective diagnosis. Only when someone understands the company culture and politics will they be able to take the next steps.

Questions and answers

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One can ensure they are making effective changes in a new role by first understanding how their current skills relate to the new role. It's important to diagnose the situation and understand the company climate before making any changes. Understanding how the company operates and how they define the new role is crucial. Only when someone understands the company culture and politics will they be able to make effective changes.

Some potential challenges when adapting to a new company climate could include understanding the company's culture and politics, defining your role within the company, and resisting the urge to make changes quickly before fully understanding the company's operations.

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  • What kind of business situation is it? Start-ups, turnarounds, realignments, and sustainable businesses all have unique climates requiring specific skills.
  • What are the specific challenges of the new role?
  • Is the company or department stagnant or growing?

Securing early wins

Once a strategy for success is in place, it's time to secure that all-important early win. This early win should be carefully designed based on the diagnosis of the situation. It's critical that any changes reflect an understanding of the people above and below and how that change affects the overall climate of the company or department. The goal here is to win support and begin building the foundation for trust and acceptance.

Questions and answers

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Some strategies for ensuring that early actions reflect an understanding of the company or department include: conducting a thorough diagnosis of the situation, understanding the people above and below, and considering how changes affect the overall climate of the company or department. The goal is to win support and begin building the foundation for trust and acceptance.

A new employee can avoid causing unnecessary tension in their early actions by understanding the company's culture and dynamics, being respectful to all colleagues, and not making drastic changes without first understanding the potential impact. They should also aim to secure an early win that reflects their understanding of the company and its people, which can help build trust and acceptance.

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The best way to pull this off is to identify long-term goals and work backward. By understanding the end goal, it makes it easy to discover steps that have a good chance of being accepted. Keep in mind that wins don't have to be major changes, they can be small steps towards a worthy goal. The key is to find a win that is widely accepted and has a positive impact.

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Finding a win that is widely accepted and has a positive impact in the first 90 days of a new job is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to establish credibility and demonstrate your effectiveness in your new role. Secondly, it can help to build momentum and create a positive impression among your colleagues and superiors. Lastly, it can provide a foundation for achieving longer-term goals and objectives.

Small steps can contribute to achieving a worthy goal in a new position by allowing for gradual progress and adaptation. They provide a manageable way to work towards the end goal, reducing the risk of overwhelm and burnout. Small wins can also boost morale and motivation, fostering a positive work environment and encouraging further progress. They can be seen as building blocks, each one a step closer to the ultimate goal. It's important to remember that every big achievement is a culmination of many small steps.

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Negotiating with your boss

It's just as important to understand how the boss views the situation as it is to gain acceptance with peers and subordinates. Only when someone understands the boss's management style and viewpoints can they effectively take on their new role.

  • How does the boss see the current business situation?
  • What are the main concerns and expectations?
  • What resources are available in this new role?
  • What skills does the boss see as the most important and what skills does the boss see that need development?
  • What are the expectations for giving and receiving feedback?

Building your team

Once the groundwork is laid, it's time to build a successful team. Future success in any role will require a motivated and talented team with a common vision. The only way to build this team is to evaluate the current team members and have the willingness to make the necessary decisions. From possible promotions to letting someone go, these adjustments must be handled delicately to keep morale in place. As the new team comes together, it's important to define expectations and roles and how they relate to a common vision.

Questions and answers

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Yes, you can use a SWOT matrix template (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to formalize what is going well and what is not.

In this matrix, strengths and weaknesses are internal factors, while opportunities and threats are external factors.

It's a simple but effective tool for analyzing the current state of your team or your company and for planning future improvements.

Yes, you can certainly ask your team to provide you with information on what is working well and what is not working in their service. This is a great way to understand the challenges your team is facing and find solutions to improve efficiency and productivity.

However, it is important to do this in a way that encourages openness and honest communication. Make sure your team knows that their feedback is appreciated and there will be no negative repercussions for sharing their thoughts.

Ultimately, this approach can help build trust, improve team morale, and lead to better overall performance.

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