Surviving the First 90 Days: Tips for Excelling in a New Job

Embarking on a new role involves considering numerous factors. How does one manage to keep everything in check? Are the expectations clear? What roles do your direct reports play? Additionally, external elements such as interacting with the broader team and familiarizing yourself with the company are crucial. Here’s our top eight tips on surviving a new job:

1. Establish a Positive Image

This strategy emphasizes the creation of a favorable impression and the establishment of credibility with your team and stakeholders. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses, assessing challenges, and devising a plan for resolution contribute to achieving this objective.

2. Expedite Your Learning

Absorb as much information as possible about the organization, its culture, and stakeholders to gain an understanding of its strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Leveraging insights from superiors, peers, and direct reports can accelerate the learning process.

3. Align Strategy with Circumstances

Evaluate the situation and determine the most suitable approach for accomplishing organizational goals. Understanding the company’s competitive landscape, recognizing key success factors, and aligning your strategy with the organization’s specific needs are integral. Initially, your focus should be on information absorption, followed by clarifying the challenges you are tasked with addressing.

4. Attain Early Successes

Identifying and executing quick wins in the initial months is crucial for building momentum and showcasing your leadership style. These victories should be meaningful and aligned with the company’s strategic priorities, demonstrating tangible performance improvements early on.

5. Negotiate for Success

This strategy centers on cultivating robust relationships with key stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers. It involves grasping their needs and concerns, fostering trust, and fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.

6. Achieve Alignment

Aligning your team around a shared vision, strategy, and set of goals is vital. Clear and frequent communication, feedback provision, and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability are essential. While addressing short-term issues, it’s imperative not to lose sight of the broader business goals and strategy.

7. Develop Your Team

Building a high-performing team aligned with your vision and goals is the focus of this strategy. Assessing the team’s strengths and weaknesses, devising a talent development plan, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement are key aspects.

8. Form Coalitions

Forge alliances and partnerships with key stakeholders both inside and outside the organization. Understanding their interests, building trust, and creating mutually beneficial relationships that support the company’s goals are crucial.

While there are no guarantees of professional success in the first 90 days, these strategies serve as a valuable resource for those aiming to be well-prepared in their new roles.