The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins

Starting a new job as a leader in any new company can be daunting – moving to a new role within your existing organization takes planning. Yet many of us fail to do this – why? 

You are going to face new challenges, new colleagues, new expectations, and new cultures. In some instances, you may also move from being a peer to being a manager – have you considered how the expectations on you and how your relationship with your previous peers will change? 

So while you will buy a new outfit for your first day, what have you done to prepare your mindset and strategy to succeed?

This book was recommended by a good friend who I admire both personally and professionally, but when she suggested it, I thought it would just be another book that catches dust on my bookshelf. Instead, it was a total game changer!

For someone that has worked in various roles across many organizations in my career, it wasn’t until I picked up The First 90 Days that I really began to appreciate the significant importance of preparing in advance a clear strategy, to hit the ground running on day one. 

This First 90 Days equips you with tools that enable you to create clear and agile goals and strategies, to develop a reliable road map for taking charge quickly and effectively during your critical career transition periods. There are no lengthy stories, no overly complicated psychological theories. Instead, you get a clear, detailed explanation of what you need to do and consider, backed up with robust practical and pragmatic approaches on how to identify your strategy and achieve your goals.

For me, it is a mentor in a book. It gives me the ability to assess and analyze my approach and performance through a second set of experienced eyes. I have re-read almost every chapter many times long after the first 90 days are over. Each time it gets me thinking about something new that I can be doing to develop and better support my team, peers, management, and also, importantly me.

This book challenged my status quo, not only pushing me to set enhanced and revised targets but also through assessing and measuring my performance, actively helped me identify crucial learning needs.

Investing in The First 90 Days is worth every penny, but if you don’t have time to read the book, I recommend at least watching this easy 4 min video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeUCIPvsnxE

Written by Oonagh van den Berg, CEO & Founder of RAW Compliance and Virtual Risk Soltuions