Stepping into a leadership role is both exciting and challenging. Whether you are a newly promoted manager or stepping into a leadership position for the first time, your first 90 days set the foundation for your long-term success. This Leadership Quick Start Guide provides a structured roadmap, ensuring you hit the ground running with confidence.

Why Your First 90 Days as a Leader Matter

Your first three months in leadership define how your team perceives you. It’s the period where you:

• Establish credibility.
• Build trust with your team.
• Learn how to give feedback as a leader.
• Align yourself with company goals and culture.
• Set expectations for long-term success.

By following a structured 30/60/90-day leadership plan, you can accelerate your transition and become an effective leader faster.

The 30/60/90-Day Leadership Plan

First 30 Days: Observe, Learn, and Build Relationships

Primary Goal: Understand your team, company culture, and immediate priorities.

Key Actions:

✅ Meet Your Team – Schedule 1-on-1 meetings with each team member to learn about their roles, strengths, and challenges.

✅ Understand Company Goals – Align your leadership approach with the company’s mission and objectives.

✅ Assess Team Performance – Identify strengths and weaknesses in your team.

✅ Learn the Leadership Culture – Observe how leadership operates within the company.

✅ Establish Quick Wins – Identify small, meaningful improvements you can make early on.

Checklist:

Leadership Tip: Avoid making drastic changes in the first month. Focus on listening, learning, and earning trust

Days 31-60: Set Expectations and Take Action

Primary Goal: Begin implementing small changes and develop leadership strategies.

Key Actions:

✅ Provide Clear Direction – Set goals and communicate your expectations clearly.

✅ Strengthen Team Communication – Implement a structured communication method (e.g., weekly check-ins).

✅ Give Constructive Feedback – Start delivering feedback with a balanced approach.

✅ Identify Quick Wins – Address obvious inefficiencies and make small, impactful improvements.

✅ Learn How to Handle Conflicts – Address minor issues before they escalate.

Checklist:

Leadership Tip: Your role isn’t to fix everything at once. Focus on sustainable improvements and leading with empathy.

Days 61-90: Strengthen and Optimize Your Leadership

Primary Goal: Establish yourself as a leader and drive long-term results.

Key Actions:

✅ Optimize Team Performance – Refine workflows and remove roadblocks.

✅ Enhance Team Collaboration – Encourage teamwork and foster an environment of trust.

✅ Develop Future Leaders – Identify high-potential employees and mentor them.

✅ Implement Performance Reviews – Conduct structured check-ins to gauge progress.

✅ Continue Learning – Seek feedback from your own leadership and peers.

Checklist:

Leadership Tip: By day 90, you should have a clear vision of where you want to take your team. Start positioning yourself as a leader who drives results.

Common Challenges New Leaders Face (and How to Overcome Them)

1. Struggling to Give Feedback

👉 Challenge: Many new leaders hesitate to provide feedback, fearing conflict or discomfort.

👉 Solution: Use the SBI Model (Situation-Behavior-Impact) to deliver clear and constructive feedback:

• Situation – Describe the specific situation where the behavior occurred.
• Behavior – Clearly state the behavior observed.
• Impact – Explain how the behavior affects the team or work.

💡 Example: “During yesterday’s meeting (situation), you interrupted your colleague multiple times (behavior), which made it difficult for them to share their ideas (impact). Let’s work on improving team communication.”

2. Navigating Team Resistance to Change

👉 Challenge: Teams often resist change due to uncertainty, fear of failure, or past negative experiences.

👉 Solution: Communicate the why behind changes and involve the team in decision-making:

• Be transparent about why changes are necessary.
• Provide clear steps on how the change will be implemented.
• Seek team input to encourage buy-in and ownership.
• Address concerns with empathy and data.

💡 Example: If implementing a new process, say: “This change will streamline our workflow, reducing workload by 20%. How can we make this transition smoother?”

3. Managing Workload and Delegation

👉 Challenge: New leaders often feel they must do everything themselves, leading to burnout.

👉 Solution: Learn to delegate effectively:

• Identify tasks that others can handle based on their strengths.
• Provide clear instructions and expectations.
• Trust your team and resist the urge to micromanage.
• Follow up but give autonomy.

💡 Example: Instead of handling every report yourself, assign different sections to team members and review their work collectively.

4. Building Trust with a New Team

👉 Challenge: New leaders must earn credibility and respect from their team.

👉 Solution: Build trust by being transparent, listening actively, and following through on commitments:

• Be honest about what you know and don’t know.
• Actively listen to team concerns and ideas.
• Show consistency in decision-making and actions.
• Support and advocate for your team’s needs.

💡 Example: If a team member shares a concern, respond with, “I hear you. Let me look into this and get back to you by Friday.” Then follow up as promised.

Final Thoughts: Becoming a Confident and Effective Leader

Your first 90 days in leadership set the foundation for your future success. By following this Leadership Quick Start Guide, you’ll:

• Build trust with your team.
• Establish credibility as a leader.
• Drive meaningful improvements without overwhelming your team.
• Position yourself for long-term leadership success.

Download our Quick Start Guide for FREE. This is a one-page power tool to get you started off in the right direction!

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