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Or else… At first glance I thought this book had been given to me being that the author, Michael Watkins, had based it on his work with J&J. I soon came to find out that there was a much bigger reason. Anyone who has recently been promoted or is expecting to be in the near future, should add this to the must read list. The First 90 Days is geared towards new leaders (or soon to be leaders) at all levels and is easily identifiable to anyone making a transition up the ladder.

In the author’s words, “The actions you take during you first three months in a new job will largely determine if you succeed or fail.” Anyone experiencing this will attest to this period being a time of great opportunity, yet also extreme vulnerability. Watkins’ concept revolves around the “breakeven point,” essentially the point at which you begin contributing as much value to your organization as you have consumed from it. The faster you reach that point, the faster you will build your business. 

To do this, he outlines ten strategies that are critical when making the transition into your new role… 

1. PROMOTE YOURSELF - Make a mental break from your old job and prepare to take charge in the new one. Never assume that what has made you successful in thus far in your career will continue to do so. The dangers of sticking with what you know, working hard at doing it, and failing miserably are very real.

2. ACCELERATE YOUR LEARNING - Climb the learning curve as fast as you can in your new organization. Understand the markets, products, technologies, systems, and structures, as well as its culture and politics. It feels like drinking from a fire hose. So you have to be systematic and focused about deciding what you need to learn.

3. MATCH STRATEGY TO SITUATION - There are no universal rules for success in transitions. You need to diagnose the business situation accurately and clarify its challenges and opportunities. Watkins identifies four very different situations that you could walk into: launching a start-up, leading a turnaround, devising a realignment, or sustaining a high-performing unit. It is critical to know what your situation looks like before you develop your action plan.

4. SECURE EARLY WINS – Each win builds your credibility and create momentum. They create virtuous cycles that leverage organizational energy. In the first few weeks, you need to identify opportunities to build personal credibility. In the first 90 days, you need to identify ways to create value and improve business results.

5. NEGOTIATE SUCCESS - You need to figure out how to build a productive working relationship with your new boss and manage his or her expectations. No other relationship is more important. This means carefully planning a series of critical talks about the situation, expectations, style, resources, and your personal development. Crucially, it means developing and gaining consensus on your 90-day plan.

6. ACHIEVE ALIGNMENT - The higher you rise in an organization, the more you have to play the role of organizational architect. This means figuring out whether the organization’s strategy is sound, bringing its structure into alignment with its strategy, and developing the systems and skills bases necessary to realize you strategy.

7. BUILD YOUR TEAM - If you are inheriting a team, you will need to evaluate its members. Perhaps you need to restructure it to better meet demands of the situation. Your willingness to make tough early personnel calls and your capacity to select the right people for the right positions are among the most important drivers of success during your transition.

8. CREATE COALITIONS - Your success will depend on your ability to influence people outside your direct line of control. Supportive alliances, both internal and external, will be necessary to achieve your goals. Start immediately.

9. KEEP YOUR BALANCE - The risks of losing perspective, getting isolated, and making bad calls are ever present during transitions. The right advice-and-counsel network is an indispensable resource.

10. EXPEDITE EVERYONE - Finally, you need to help everyone in your organization - direct reports, bosses, and peers - accelerate their own transitions. The quicker you can get your new direct reports up to speed, the more you will help your own performance.

Overall, I would highly encourage any aspiring new leader to pick up a copy of this book. It’s a short read that can have lasting impact on your future success. Besides, who wants to really be part of that “or else” anyway? That was motivation enough for me…