The Best 30-60-90 Day Plan for Your New Job [Template + Example]

Erica Santiago

Published: December 06, 2023

I remember my first day at HubSpot. I was so nervous and had a million concerns swimming around in my head.

A man organizes sticky notes in front of a calendar as he maps out a 30-60-90 Day Plan

Will I adapt to my new job? How long will it take for me to get the hang of things? Can I manage the workload and maintain a good rapport with my coworkers?

Fortunately, my outstanding manager at the time prepared a comprehensive checklist to be completed over a few months, and it helped me slowly but steadily adapt to HubSpot. Fast forward a few years, and I'm a rockstar at my job.

The checklist was called a 100-day checklist, but it followed the rhythm of a typical 30-60-90 Day Plan.

A 30-60-90 Day Plan, or something similar, is imperative to the success of a new employee as it helps them set and reach attainable goals and acclimate to their new position.

To help set your new employee, or yourself, up for success, here's what you need to know about crafting the best 30-60-90 Day Plan.

Download Now: Sales Training & Onboarding Template [Free Tool]

30-60-90 Day Plan

A 30-60-90 day plan lays out a clear course of action for a new employee during the first 30, 60, and 90 days of their new job. By setting concrete goals and a vision for one's abilities at each stage of the plan, you can make the transition into a new organization smooth and empowering.

Learning the nuances of your new role in less than three months won't be easy. But crafting a strong 30-60-90 day plan is your best bet for accelerating your development and adapting to your new work environment as quickly as possible.

You‘d write a 30-60-90 day plan in two situations: during the final stages of an interview and the first week of the job. Here’s how each type can be executed:

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

Free Sales Training Template

Use this template to set up a 30/60/90 day sales training and onboarding plan.

  • 30/60/90 Day Goals
  • People to Meet
  • Feedback/Review Process

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

30-60-90 Day Plan for Interview

Some hiring managers ask candidates to think about and explain their potential 30-60-90 day plan as a new hire.

As a candidate, this would sometimes confuse me in the past, but I now understand they just want to see if a potential hire can organize their time, prioritize the tasks they likely take, and strategize an approach to the job description.

For a new hire, a well-thought-out 30-60-90 day plan is a great way to help the hiring manager visualize you in the role and differentiate yourself from all other candidates.

But how can you outline your goals before accepting a new job? How are you supposed to know what those goals are? I've found that starting with the job description is an excellent stepping stone.

Typically, open job listings have separate sections for a job‘s responsibilities and a job’s qualifications. Work to find commonalities in these two sections and how you might turn them into goals for yourself.

Then, stagger those goals over three months.

For example, let‘s say a job requires three years of experience in Google Analytics, and the responsibilities include tracking the company’s website performance every month.

I would use these points to develop an action plan explaining how:

  • I‘ll learn the company’s key performance metrics (first 30 days)
  • Strengthen the company's performance in these metrics (next 30 days)
  • Lead the team toward a better Google Analytics strategy (last 30 days)

30-60-90 Day Plan for New Job

The second situation where you‘d write a 30-60-90 day plan is during the first week of a new job, which I highly recommend whether you’re a new employee or a manager working with a new hire.

If you're the hiring manager, this plan will allow you to learn how the new employee operates, address their concerns or preconceived notions about the role, and ultimately help them succeed.

If you‘re starting a new job and are not asked to craft a 30-60-90 day plan during the first week of that job, it’s still a good idea to write one for yourself.

A new position can feel like a completely foreign environment during the first few months, and having a plan in place can make it feel more like home.

Even though 90 days is the standard grace period for new employees to learn the ropes, it's also the best time to make a great first impression.

How long should a 30-60-90 day plan be?

While there's no set length for a 30-60-90 day plan, it should include information about onboarding and training, set goals that you're expected to hit by the end of each phase, and all the people to meet and resources to review in support of those goals. This can result in a document that's 3-8 pages long, depending on formatting.

The purpose of your plan is to help you transition into your new role, but it should also be a catalyst for your career development.

Instead of just guiding you over your job's learning curve, the goals outlined in your plan should push you to perform up to your potential and raise the bar for success at every stage.

HubSpot's Senior Manager of Content (and my former manager) Meg Prater suggests having a solid template for your plan that allows it to evolve.

“Anytime I onboard someone, I review all training docs and ensure they're up to date,” she says. “I also ask for feedback from the folks on the team who have most recently been onboarded. What did they like? What didn't work for them?”

She also says moving the plan to a more interactive platform proved to be helpful to new employees.

“One of the most helpful shifts we've made recently is moving our 30-60-90 plan (or 100-Days Plan) from a static Google Doc to Asana,” she says. “The plan is organized by week, and each task contains relevant readings and links. It's much easier for folks to move through, and it gives me better insight into where folks are in the plan.”

Meg onboarded me when I started at HubSpot, and I can confirm that my checklist in Asana was a game-changer because it helped me stay on task and visually track my progress.

The checklist below isn‘t mine, but it’s one she set up and follows the same format as the one she created for me.

Free 30/60/90 Day Onboarding Template

Fill out the form to get the template., parts of a 30-60-90 day plan.

An effective 30-60-90 day plan consists of three extensive phases — one for days 1-30, one for days 31-60, and one for days 61-90.

Each phase has its own goal. For example, the goal in the first 30 days is to learn as much as possible about your new job.

The following 30 focus on using learned skills to contribute, and the last 30 are about demonstrating skill mastery with metrics and taking the lead on new challenges.

Each phase also contains components that help define goals and describe desired outcomes. These parts include:

The primer is a general overview of what you hope to achieve during the current 30-day period.

I prefer sitting down with my manager to pinpoint a primer that aligns with my goals and desired company outcomes, and I encourage you to do the same.

This ensures you and your manager are on the same page about expectations early on in your journey with the company.

The theme is a quick-hitter sentence or statement summarizing your goals for the period. For example, your theme might be “find new opportunities”, “take initiative,” or “be a sponge.”

Learning Goals

Learning goals focus on skills you want to learn or improve to drive better outcomes at your job. For example, if you're responsible for creating website content at your company, you should learn new HTML or CSS skills .

At the start of my career with HubSpot, some marketing trends and jargon were unfamiliar, and I wasn‘t used to the company’s writing style.

As a result, my learning goals as a new blogger were to become more well-versed in marketing and to adapt to HubSpot's writing style.

Performance Goals

Performance goals speak to specific metrics that demonstrate improvement. These include making one more weekly content post or reducing the revisions management requires.

For example, I was only writing one article per week when I started HubSpot, but it was my performance goal to be able to write multiple articles by the end of 30 days.

Initiative Goals

Initiative goals are about thinking outside the box to discover other ways you can contribute. This might mean asking your manager about taking ownership of new website changes or upgrades with a specific deadline in mind.

Personal Goals

Personal goals focus on company culture — are there ways you can improve relationships with your team members or demonstrate your willingness to contribute?

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The Best 30-60-90 Day Plan Templates + Examples of 2024

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? We all have a bit of Hannibal inside of us after all. We’re referring to the A-Team and not the Silence Of The Lambs of course. Don’t break out the cianti just yet!

All jokes aside 30-60-90 day plans are amazing performance management tools for large teams and individuals alike. Creating a 30-60-90 day plan ranks among the top best practices when onboarding new hires or promoting existing team members to new roles.

This week, we wanted to provide you with helpful tips on how to write 30-60-90 day plans, alongside helpful 30-60-90 day plan examples and effective 30-60-90 day plan templates! So what are we waiting for? Let’s get right to it!

A quick note before we start: If you are looking into these plans and templates, you might also be looking for a goal-setting template as well! Don’t worry, just fire this up on a separate tab:

9 Free Goal Setting Templates.

Table of Contents

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30/60/90 plan is a strategy that outlines your goals and objectives for the first three months of a new job or a new role within your company.

It’s a game plan that helps you focus your efforts, prioritize your tasks, and track your progress as you navigate your new responsibilities. The plan is typically divided into three phases, with each phase representing 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days respectively.

The First 30 Days

During the first 30 days of your new role, your primary focus is usually on getting settled in and learning the ropes. While some could liken this section of the 30-60-90 day plan to the honeymoon phase, completely full of sunshine and rainbows, it does come with some getting used to.

You may find yourself spending time getting to know your team, understanding the company culture and values, and familiarizing yourself with the processes and procedures of your new job.

This period might also be the timeframe when you begin to identify potential challenges and opportunities for improvement, which you can address in the upcoming phases of your plan. This also happens to be a great time to start exchanging positive feedback with your team and boost morale alongside employee engagement .

The First 60 Days

As you move into the 60-day phase of your plan, your focus may shift towards executing key projects and making meaningful contributions to the organization.

You should definitely begin to take ownership of specific initiatives, work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve shared goals, and implement new ideas and strategies that align with the company’s objectives.

Taking ownership at this phase displays an impressive amount of commitment on your part and shows you have a knack for leadership.

Start measuring your progress and track your results, refining your approach based on feedback from your team and your supervisor.

If you are looking for some fresh HR-related initiatives: Best HR Initiatives of 2024 .

The First 90 Days

By the time you reach the 90-day mark, your goal is to have established yourself as a valuable contributor to the company. You should have a clear understanding of your job responsibilities, your team dynamics, and the organization’s priorities.

Having a complete grasp of how everything around you works brings with it a certain amount of confidence that should really impact your performance.

You should also be able to demonstrate your ability to achieve results, innovate, and adapt to changing circumstances by now. After all, you are now a full-fledged member of the team!

Reviews after each checkpoint

Conducting 30 60 90 day reviews after each checkpoint is the best practice when it comes to an effective onboarding process . If you want to automate these reviews, you can try using an integrated onboarding software such as Teamflect.

You can try using it for free, without signing up and with no time limits, inside Microsoft Teams. All you need to do is click the button below.

Wandering how you can conduct 30 60 90 day reviews inside Microsoft Teams? Here is a nifty little tutorial!

30-60-90 Day Plan Examples:

Example 1: 30-60-90 day plan for a sales manager:.

30 Day Plan:

  • Clarify sales goals: Meet with the sales team and clarify sales goals for the quarter. Identify any gaps in the team’s understanding and develop a plan to fill those gaps.
  • Develop relationships with team members: Meet with each team member individually to understand their strengths and areas of development. Develop a plan for how to work together to achieve individual and team goals.
  • Conduct market research: Conduct research on the market and identify potential clients to target. Develop a list of prospects for the sales team to reach out to.

60 Day Plan:

  • Develop sales strategies: Develop sales strategies for the next quarter, based on market research and feedback from the sales team. Develop strategies for both new business and account management.
  • Develop sales training: Identify areas for sales team development and develop a sales training program to address these areas.
  • Build relationships with clients: Schedule meetings with key clients and develop relationships with them. Gain a deep understanding of their needs and develop strategies for how to best serve them.

90 Day Plan:

  • Implement new sales strategies: Roll out new sales strategies and track progress against sales goals. Identify areas for improvement and make adjustments as necessary.
  • Implement sales training: Implement a sales training program and track team members’ progress against development goals.
  • Measure success: Develop metrics to track the success of new strategies and training programs. Share progress with the team and celebrate successes.

Example 2: 30-60-90 Day Plan For a Marketing Manager:

30 Day Plan :

  • Meet with team members and key stakeholders to understand the current state of the marketing department, the key challenges and opportunities, and the short and long-term goals.
  • Conduct a thorough analysis of the company’s current marketing strategy, including customer segmentation, brand positioning, and market trends.
  • Develop a deep understanding of the company’s products, target market, and competitors.
  • Review the marketing budget and allocate resources according to the priorities of the business.
  • Identify areas for improvement in the marketing plan, such as optimizing the company’s digital marketing campaigns, improving the customer journey, or streamlining the sales funnel.
  • Begin to develop and implement new marketing initiatives that align with the company’s goals and objectives.

60 Day Plan :

  • Build a strong relationship with the sales team to better understand their needs and how marketing can support them.
  • Identify and prioritize key marketing projects that will have the most impact on the company’s growth.
  • Analyze the company’s marketing metrics and use the insights to refine the marketing strategy and make data-driven decisions.
  • Optimize the company’s website, social media channels, and other digital assets to improve lead generation and customer engagement.
  • Develop and execute a content marketing plan that aligns with the company’s messaging and brand voice.
  • Explore new marketing channels and tactics to expand the company’s reach and build brand awareness.

90 Day Plan :

  • Evaluate the impact of the new marketing initiatives and adjust the strategy accordingly.
  • Collaborate with other departments to ensure alignment on messaging and branding.
  • Develop a plan for ongoing measurement and analysis of marketing performance.
  • Finalize the marketing budget for the upcoming year and ensure that it aligns with the company’s goals and priorities.
  • Evaluate the marketing team’s performance and identify opportunities for professional development and growth.
  • Present a summary of accomplishments and plans for the future to the leadership team.

Example 3: 30-60-90 Day Plan for a Human Resources Manager

  • Get to know the company culture and values: Meet with key stakeholders, including the CEO, senior leadership, and department heads, to understand the company’s mission, vision, values, and culture.
  • Evaluate existing HR policies and procedures: Review the current HR policies and procedures to identify areas for improvement or updating. Meet with HR staff and other department heads to get their feedback on what’s working and what’s not.
  • Develop relationships with staff: Schedule one-on-one meetings with all HR team members to get to know them and understand their roles. Meet with other key staff to understand their needs and expectations of HR.
  • Assess staffing needs: Work with department heads to identify staffing needs and develop a plan for recruiting and hiring new employees.
  • Develop an HR strategy: Based on the information gathered, develop a comprehensive HR strategy that aligns with the company’s goals and objectives. Research current HR trends and create a strategy that is up to date.
  • Implement HR strategy: Begin implementing the HR strategy, including changes to policies and procedures, and start recruiting new staff members.
  • Develop and conduct training programs: Develop and conduct training programs for HR staff and other employees on topics such as performance management, diversity and inclusion, and employee relations.
  • Improve employee engagement: Develop and implement initiatives to improve employee engagement, such as employee recognition programs, regular feedback sessions, and career development plans.
  • Review compensation and benefits: Review the company’s compensation and benefits packages to ensure they are competitive and in line with industry standards.
  • Conduct a compliance audit: Review HR analytics software and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
  • Evaluate HR initiatives: Evaluate the effectiveness of HR initiatives implemented during the first 60 days and make any necessary adjustments.
  • Develop long-term HR goals: Work with the senior leadership team to develop long-term HR goals and strategies.
  • Improve communication channels: Develop and implement initiatives to improve communication channels between HR and other departments.
  • Build external relationships: Build relationships with industry organizations and attend networking events to stay up-to-date on HR trends and best practices.
  • Review recruitment process: Review the recruitment process and make any necessary changes to improve the quality of new hires.

30-60-90 Day Plan Templates

HR managers should use a 30-60-90 day plan because it is an effective tool for managing employee performance and ensuring that new hires are successfully integrated into the organization.

This particular 30 60 90 day plan template outlines specific goals and objectives for the employee to achieve during their first three months on the job.

This in turn lets the HR manager set expectations and provide clear direction, which can help the employee stay focused and motivated.

The 30-60-90 day plan can be used as a performance evaluation tool as well, allowing the HR manager to assess the employee’s progress and make any necessary adjustments to their training or development.

Using a 30-60-90 day plan is an excellent tool for account managers for several reasons. Why? Because it simply helps them hit the ground running and achieve success quickly in their new role.

The plan provides a roadmap of what they need to achieve in the first three months and keeps their focus on the most important activities and stay on track to meet their goals.

What are the benefits of 30-60-90 day plans?

30-60-90 day plan

1. Clarifies priorities and goals

Having a 30-60-90 day plan helps you clarify your priorities and goals in the first few months of your new role. The first three months on the job can be intimidating. breaking down your objectives into manageable pieces helps make sure you are focusing on the most important tasks and making progress towards your goals. Taking advantage of OKR software definitely helps here.

2. Demonstrates initiative

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan shows your employer that you are proactive, invested in your role, and willing to take the initiative to succeed. Demonstrating how you are willing to map out the next three months can help you build trust with your employer and position yourself as a valuable asset to the organization.

3. Helps with time management

A 30-60-90 day plan can help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the amount of new information and responsibilities you need to absorb.

Dividing your initial three months at an organization into achievable milestones will help you manage all the difficulties of managing time and responsibilities in your first months.

4. Provides structure and direction

The plan provides a structure and direction to your work, helping you make steady progress toward your objectives. Having a plan in place keeps you focused, engaged, and most importantly, accountable.

5. Facilitates communication

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan can help you communicate with your supervisor and team about your goals, priorities, and progress. You will always have an answer to the question “What are you up to these days?”. That translates into an improved relationship with your management and colleagues.

9 Useful tips for creating a 30-60-90 day plan

To determine what you should focus on while creating a 30-60-90 day plan, you need to understand how you can help the new hire in the first 90 days. Below are nine ways of creating an impactful 30-60-90 day plan.

  • Set SMART goals 
  • Establish your employees’ priorities
  • Promote career growth
  • Encourage time to reflect on employee strengths and weaknesses
  • Create goals for the first month, second month, and third month 
  • Collect feedback from your peers and direct reports 
  • Create opportunities for continuous learning about the company culture 
  • Make adjustments when needed
  • Follow up  

When to use a 30-60-90 day plan

What situations will your 30 60 90 day plan be the most effective in? Let’s dive right in.

30-60-90 day plan for an interview 

You can consider creating a 30-60-90 day plan for your interviews if you want to impress your potential employer. For instance, an employee who is applying for a sales role can put together a 30-60-90 day plan which includes what they can focus on in their new position.

30-60-90 day plan for a new job

30 60 90 plans are more frequently used in the employee onboarding process because they help both hiring managers and new hires. It helps you set performance expectations for the next three months.

Performance Management Software

Creating 30-60-90 day plans is only half the battle. Keeping up with them and making the absolute most of them is an entirely different beast to overcome.

This is where taking advantage of a performance management solution can make all the difference. We’ve highlighted some of the best ones you can find right here:

That being said, if your organization uses Microsoft Teams on a daily basis, then the best option for you would be:

30-60-90 day plan

Teamflect is an official Microsoft partner and the best performance management software for Microsoft Teams. With complete Microsoft Teams integration , Teamflect lets users manage tasks, set goals, exchange recognition, and conduct highly effective meetings, without ever having to leave Microsoft Teams.

As a highly efficient task software , Teamflect lets users assign and track tasks from inside even inside team chat, providing the perfect tool to make sure your 30-60-90 day plans are executed to perfection!

Other Teamflect features include but aren’t limited to:

  • Employee Engagement Surveys
  • An extensive library of customizable performance review templates
  • Customizable employee recognition badges
  • A strong meeting module with comprehensive meeting agendas
  • So much more!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 30-60-90 day plan.

A 30-60-90 day plan is a strategy that outlines your goals and objectives for the first three months of a new job or a new role within your current company. It’s a game plan that helps you focus your efforts, prioritize your tasks, and track your progress as you navigate your new responsibilities. The plan is typically divided into three phases, with each phase representing 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days respectively.

  • Clarifies priorities and goals
  • Demonstrates initiative
  • Helps with time management
  • Provides structure and direction
  • Facilitates communication

What are some mistakes to avoid with 30 60 90 day plans?

Setting Unrealistic Expectations : While it’s essential to be ambitious, setting unrealistic expectations is a common pitfall. We are after all, only talking about a one to three-month period. That isn’t very long now, is it?

Overloading a 30-60-90 day plan with too many objectives can overwhelm individuals and lead to burnout. Ensure that your goals are challenging but also attainable within the designated time frames.

Neglecting Prioritization : Setting tasks for the upcoming 30-60-90 days is great but your job as a leader doesn’t end with task assignments. A common mistake is failing to prioritize tasks and goals within the 30-60-90 day plans.

Without clear priorities, individuals may find themselves scattered, trying to accomplish everything at once. Establishing a clear order of importance for tasks can help individuals focus on what matters most.

Ignoring Flexibility : What is that old saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men? Circumstances change. Plans go down the drain and new ones need to be made. That is why rigidity can be detrimental to 30-60-90-day plans.

The unexpected can happen, and unforeseen challenges can arise. A mistake to avoid is not allowing room for adjustments and flexibility within the plan. Plans should be adaptable to accommodate changing circumstances.

Short-Term Focus Only : 30-60-90 day plans are designed to provide short-term structure, but another mistake is neglecting the long-term perspective. These plans should ideally align with broader career or organizational goals. It is imperative to ensure that short-term actions contribute to long-term success.

All in all, a well-structured 30-60-90 day plan is a highly powerful tool to use when striving for your goals and objectives. It provides you with a valuable roadmap that gives a clear direction of where you’re headed and how you can get to your envisioned future in your business.

This structured approach of a strategic plan you will craft is not only a key part of your road to success but also a very important asset in your real growth as a person and a business. 30-60-90 day plans promise short-term success and the enablement of continued improvement and sustained success.

Whether you apply it in a personal or professional setting, as an employee or a leader, 30-60-90-day plans prove to be effective in turning aspirations into tangible, measurable outcomes. Use this guide and craft one of your own to start succeeding!

Related Posts:

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Written by Emre Ok

Emre is a content writer at Teamflect who aims to share fun and unique insight into the world of performance management.

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What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

6 benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, when to use a 30-60-90 day plan, what to include in a 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan template for managers, 9 tips for creating a 30-60-90 day plan.

"The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade." Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and BetterUp Science Board Advisor 

When it comes to setting your people up for success, a little help goes a long way. How are you setting up your workforce to reach its full potential ? 

Well, if you ask any leader, a lot of it comes down to helping your employees think strategically from the start. It’s beyond finishing a project, solving a problem, or completing the menial, day-to-day tasks.

Of course, the day-to-day duties help to get work done. But it’s also helping your employees connect their day-to-day to the larger purpose of work . Why does that purpose matter? How does their work connect to the organization’s goals, mission, or purpose? 

When I first started at BetterUp, my manager shared a fully fleshed-out spreadsheet and Google document as part of my 30-60-90 day plan. In these resources, there were targets to hit, milestones to reach, and tasks to complete. 

But more importantly than the line items was the sentiment: the strategy behind the 30-60-90 day plan helped to set me up for success. It was that extra mile to help out a new hire that allowed me to onboard successfully to my new role. And it was the help I needed to see the larger vision of how my work connected to organizational success , even if I didn’t fully know it yet. 

When we think about helping others around us be successful, having a plan is critical. In fact, 69% of employees are more likely to stay with a company for three years if they had a good onboarding experience.

Having a roadmap for the first three months can help your employees acclimate to the company culture. It'll also help them ramp up to the role and meaningfully connect with others — and ultimately lead to better performance.  

Sure, the plan might change. After all, we’re in a rapidly changing world where plans are often etched in pencil instead of stamped in pen. But if you’re hiring new employees or onboarding teammates, it’s important to give your workforce a sense of where you want to see them go. 

In this post, we’ll walk through what makes a good 30-60-90 day plan. We’ll also talk about the benefits of a good plan — and even give a template example to help you help your employees. 

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First, let’s understand what defines a 30-60-90 day plan. The 30-60-90 plan is a key part of a robust onboarding process . And in remote and hybrid work environments, the onboarding process is more important than ever. It’s critical that in these early days of onboarding, you’re building culture and connection with your new employees. 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a document or resource that outlines the goals and strategies for a new employee within the first 90 days. It serves as a guide, a resource, and a checklist for your new hires.

When a new employee joins your organization, there’s likely a stage of information overload. In the onboarding process, the employee absorbs a lot of information. They might be networking and setting up coffee chats with other employees. They’re probably in a good chunk of training sessions and other sorts of new hire workshops. 

Depending on how your organization runs the onboarding process, your employees are likely trying to ramp up in their new roles. At the same time, they're also soaking in everything they can about the organization. All while your employees are acclimating to the new role, they’re also making connections. Or, at least, they should be.

In short: it’s a lot. It can feel overwhelming to retain all the information a new hire receives. Sometimes, it can lead to confusion or misalignment on overall goals. 

But with a 30-60-90 day plan, you’re able to clearly outline the expectations you have for your employee. As a manager, it’s a useful resource and tool to help keep the onboarding process on track. It can also serve as an accountability tool, one where you can ensure your employees are meeting your expectations. 

Let’s talk more about what benefits come with a clearly outlined 30-60-90 day plan. 

30-60-90-day-plan-woman-shaking-hands-in-wheelchair

There are plenty of benefits to a 30-60-90 day plan, for both the employer and the employee. Here are six of our favorite benefits to consider. 

  • It helps optimize productivity  

It sets clear expectations 

  • It helps with goal setting  

It can help alleviate the new job jitters 

It empowers employees to self-manage their work , it serves as a reminder of priorities , it helps optimize productivity .

Ashley Ballard, social media manager, BetterUp, shared why a 30-60-90 day helped their productivity in the first three months of work. 

“I'm someone who benefits from an itemized list of expectations so that I’m not hindering my productivity by feeling anxious about my work product. It also keeps everyone on the same page about the meaning behind your role and how you will directly support team goals.” Ashley Ballard, social media manager  

As you’ll notice in some of these benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, there’s a lot of overlap in what makes an employee productive. For Ashley, it’s clear expectations, alignment on the role, and clear communication about the priorities at hand. One could argue that all the benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan can contribute to overall increased productivity . 

It doesn’t get much clearer than getting a document of expectations in written form. At BetterUp, our 30-60-90 day plans come with a “checkbox” field to notch once you’ve completed the task at hand. 

Clear expectations can be hard to set, especially at the nebulous start of someone’s employment in a new role. But with a 30-60-90 day plan, you’re able to clearly outline your expectations as a manager. 

It helps with goal setting 

On my 30-60-90 day plan, I had a list of more administrative or mundane tasks. For example, I needed to upload my information into our HR management system. I needed to review the necessary policies and documents. I needed to set my email signature with the appropriate information. 

But it also outlined higher-level objectives. As a marketer and writer, I needed to learn the BetterUp voice, tone, and perspective. My manager clearly outlined blogs and resources that I could read, practice assignments that I could take on, and even some videos to watch. In fact, one of my goals was to write a blog within 30 days. 

Many of the new hire checklist items served as foundational tasks to get to me my goal. And by providing me with all the information at once, I could more easily connect the dots to the “why” behind some of the work I was receiving, too. 

Have you ever started a new job and not really know what you’re supposed to do with yourself? 

In my last job, I attended a half-day new hire orientation . I still remember going back to my desk upstairs, meeting my new manager, sitting down, and logging into my computer. I played around with my systems and got myself set up on my laptop. But after about an hour, I found myself spinning my chair around to my new boss and asking if I could help with anything. 

Frankly, I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing with myself. I felt that instant anxiety of not contributing anything meaningful, even though it was just my first day. 

There’s a lot of inherent pressure, stress, and anxiety that comes with starting a new job. New job anxiety is totally normal. It happens to all of us.

No matter how great we felt through the hiring process , on top of the world with our offer letter, as the new kid you can feel at loose ends pretty quickly. You waste time in self-doubt or doing unimportant tasks to look busy and loose confidence and momentum. But one way to help alleviate the jitters your employees are feeling is by giving them a plan. 

Ashley Strahm, content marketing manager, BetterUp, shared why she finds having set milestones in place can help reduce anxiety . 

“I’ve come to experience onboarding as a time where folks are the most hungry, curious, enthusiastic, and eager to please. Having a plan with milestones from the outset means that none of the initial emotions that come with starting a new job overwhelm or cause scattered or inefficient outreach — and anxiety about performance."  Ashley Strahm, content marketing manager

Without a 30-60-90 day plan, you couldn’t possibly have made the connections or digested the right resources to help quell those productivity nerves. And without it, you risk a big loss. Those early days are when new hires have the freshest eyes. It’s the best and most optimal opportunity to ask your new hires to observe and provide feedback. 

I’ve never heard of a manager that wants to hold their employees’ hands through every project. Sure, there are micromanagers who like to stay close to their employees’ work. 

But at BetterUp, we’re big believers in giving employees autonomy to self-manage their work. We talk about this in the context of some of our high-impact behaviors: extreme ownership, bias toward action, craftspersonship, and work to learn. 

30-60-90-day-plan-employee-at-work-smiling

Managers also need their time to focus on high-impact work and priorities. So when it comes to onboarding a new employee, it’s not plausible to walk your new hire through everything they need to know. And if you were to do so, it certainly wouldn't set them up for success. 

A 30-60-90 day plan empowers your employees to self-manage their work. By leveraging a 30-60-90 day plan as part of your onboarding strategy, you’re giving your employees autonomy to build their own schedules. It helps give them the roadmap but how they get to the final destination is up to them. 

Hand-in-hand with self-management comes managing priorities. We all know that work is busy. As your employees become more acclimated to the role, it’s likely their workload is gradually increasing. 

But with a 30-60-90 day plan, your employees are reminded of their priorities. And it’s on your employees to manage their priorities effectively, which is a good life and work muscle to flex. 

So, you might be wondering when to use a 30-60-90 day plan. When is it most effective? What situations will it have the most impact? Let’s dig in. 

30-60-90 day plan for an interview 

Job seekers, this is for you. If you want to knock the socks off a potential employer, consider putting together a 30-60-90 day plan for your interview. Even if it’s just an informational interview , you can show how you’d approach your first 90 days on the job. 

For example, let’s say you’re interviewing for a sales position. From the job description and from your informational interview, you know what markets you’ll be focused on. You also know about some target accounts and have a good sense of the industry.

While you might not know exactly what you are going to be doing, you have a good idea. You’ve worked in software sales for a while, enough to know how to approach breaking into a new market. 

So, you decide to come up with a proposed 30-60-90 day plan. You put together a rough sketch in a Google sheet about what you would focus on in your new role . 

30-60-90 day plan for a new job

More commonly, 30-60-90 day plans are used in the onboarding process. This is useful for both hiring managers and employees. For example, at BetterUp, I received my 30-60-90 day plan on my first day of employment. It helped to set expectations about what I would be focused on for the next three months. 

But some companies also use 30-60-90 day plans for things like performance reviews or even lateral moves within the organization. You can also use 30-60-90 day plans for project-based initiatives. 

First, it’s important to understand that 30-60-90 day plans should be personalized based on the employee. For example, a new employee in an entry-level position will probably have a radically different plan than that of a new executive. 

And 30-60-90 day plans for managers are going to look different than plans for individual contributors. There are nuances to these sorts of plans because of job responsibilities, work goals , expectations, and experience. 

But generally speaking, we can outline four key components of a 30-60-90 day plan. 

Expectations and concrete goals 

Go-to resources and information .

  • New hire checklist or to-do list  
  • Company mission, culture, the purpose of work  

Every 30-60-90 day plan should have clear expectations and concrete goals. As a manager, it’s important to clearly communicate the expectations you have for your employees. For example, my manager has created a couple of documents that very clearly outline the expectations of her employees. 

Oftentimes, expectations serve as the foundation for your working relationships. As part of my 30-60-90 day plan, my manager also asked about my expectations. In a lot of ways, it’s a two-way street.

I filled out a document that outlined my preferred working style, my communication style, and how I  resolve conflict . It helped both parties to essentially get a good sense of how the other works. 

Along the same vein of expectations are goals. My manager expressed some clear goals that she wanted me to reach within my first 90 days. But I also had the opportunity to think about my own personal goals and what I wanted to accomplish.

Together, we iterated on the plan to come up with an action plan. Some of these goals can ladder up to other big milestones that you’d like to have your employees reach along the way. 

30-60-90-day-plan-woman-shaking-hands-with-man

The world of work is a complex one. Especially in today’s day and age, there’s a lot of information that’s probably changing rapidly. 

For example, is your workforce hybrid or remote? What sort of COVID-19 guidelines are in place? How do you submit your expense reports or ask for time off? What systems does your organization use for benefits ? What employee resource groups or culture programs does your organization have? 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a good one-stop-shop for all the resources your new hire will need. It’s a great reference and resources with a wealth of information (and can help your employee become more self-sufficient, too). 

New hire checklist or to-do list 

When an employee joins a company, there are a lot of “tasks” that need to be done. For example, I needed to enroll in my benefits and 401K. I needed to upload my personal contact information into our human resources management system. I needed to upload my Slack photo and put my preferred pronouns on my email signature and Slack profile. 

A 30-60-90 day plan is a great place for all of the one-off tasks that every new hire needs to complete. It also helps keep your employees on track with all the administrative and HR tasks needed within the first couple of months of employment. 

Company mission, culture, and purpose of work 

Last but certainly not least, your employees need to understand the purpose of work. This likely won’t “click” fully in the first 30 (or even 90) days. But it’s important to start drawing connections between their work and the company’s vision early on. 

In a recent Forbes article, Great Place to Work® released new data around employee retention . One of the top drivers? Purpose. In fact, employees at top-rated workplaces in the US reported that if they feel their work has a purpose , their intent to stay at said companies triples.

Don’t dismiss the role that purpose plays in your organization. At BetterUp, we’re on a mission to help everyone everywhere live with greater purpose, clarity, and passion . This can only happen if employees understand their purpose and the role of their work in the company’s mission. 

We’ve created a free draft 30-60-90 day plan template to use for managers. Access the draft template and start using it today. 

Download the 30-60-90 day template

30-60-90 day plan for interviews

As mentioned earlier, there are some situations where an employee may prepare a 30-60-90 day plan as part of an interview. Or, perhaps as part of your company’s hiring process, you ask job applicants to put together their plans. 

With these elements, you’ll be sure the candidate is ready to hit the ground running. Here are some key components you should look for in a job applicant’s 30-60-90 day plan: 

  • Short-term goals (generally achievable, time-bound goals)
  • Long-term goals (that are also measurable goals)   
  • Establishing metrics for success 
  • Outlined priorities (especially for the first week) 
  • Learning new processes 
  • Meeting the new team and team members 
  • Any learning goals (or professional development goals ) 

Of course, your 30-60-90 day play is going to be catered to each individual. We’re all human with different responsibilities needed. Keep these nine tips in mind as you put together your 30-60-90 day plans. 

  • Set SMART goals  
  • Consider what you want your employee to prioritize 
  • Encourage professional development  
  • Encourage reflection time 
  • Outline goals into months: first month, second month, third month 
  • Ask for input from your employees and direct reports 
  • Promote ongoing learning about the company culture and purpose 
  • Adjust (and readjust) as needed 
  • Follow-up on the progress 

You can always work with a coach to help outline what might be needed in your 30-60-90 day plan. A coach will have a wealth of experience in the field and an objective, third-party perspective. With guidance from BetterUp, you can ensure you’re setting up your people for success.

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Madeline Miles

Madeline is a writer, communicator, and storyteller who is passionate about using words to help drive positive change. She holds a bachelor's in English Creative Writing and Communication Studies and lives in Denver, Colorado. In her spare time, she's usually somewhere outside (preferably in the mountains) — and enjoys poetry and fiction.

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Books to grow with in 2022, ready for a fresh start 7 best jobs for a career change, 10 examples of principles that can guide your approach to work, take the initiative: a how-to guide in 10 steps, the power of professional learning communities, what is networking and why is it so important, so you want to be your own boss here's how to do it right, getting a new manager how to (stop panicking and) make the most of it, similar articles, employee onboarding: how a great start leads to great results, how to create a work plan (with template), how to create the perfect onboarding checklist for new hire employees, write a performance improvement plan (pip) that really works, 30 leadership feedback examples for managers, your 6-step guide on how to make an action plan for management, 4 easy ways to make one-on-one meetings more meaningful, strategic plan vs. work plan: what's the difference, new hire job orientation: 5 ways to set employees up for success, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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A Guide for New Managers: Your 30-60-90 Day Plan for Team Development

  • Publish Date: Posted over 4 years ago

Taylor Varco

As a leader on a new team, you have new challenges ahead that not only pertain to business results but also with building trust and establishing credibility. Your first few months are a great opportunity to make your mark, set yourself up to influence your team, and command respect of other managers in the organization. Using a 30-60-90 day plan breaks up your numerous goals into smaller, actionable, items to be sure your first months as a manager lay the groundwork to make the most impact as a leader. 

First 30 Days: Discovery & Ramp up  

Focus on: people, culture, and getting up to speed on the job at hand.  

During this time you should try to connect with as many people as you can, especially those on your team. Find out what their professional strengths are, their goals, and a little about their personal life. In conjunction, you should immerse yourself into the company culture. Have a full understanding of any company strategic plans, while living and breathing their core values. You should be promoting the culture and re-establishing everyone’s belief in the direction the organization is going. 

In addition, the leadership team will expect you to become productive quickly.  

Ramp up Checklist

-Join as many meetings as possible; absorb everything - Get an understanding of your budget and conduct a comprehensive review - Set up introductions with significant customers and vendors - Meet with strategic partners that work with your department - Take note of your team’s individual assignments and performance 

Second 30 Days: Build your Brand & Implement Process  

Focus on: taking your discovery data, analyzing it, and putting action behind it.  

As you are absorbing information and laying the culture foundation among your team, you should start to understand how things operate and begin to form a plan on how to improve. Take this time to focus on training, simplifying procedures, improving process, and finding other efficiencies that will establish yourself as a consistent and reliable source. 

Your success as a manager will often be measured by your impact on the team, both developmentally and productively. 

Implementation Checklist  

- Dig into the issues you hear about and ask the hard questions - Conduct a weekly team meeting, run by a consistent agenda  - Create both team and individual production goals for each month or quarter - Hold your team members accountable with weekly check-ins on their goal progress - Document all best practices and processes for key team activities - Replace any existing tools your team has deemed as unusable 

Final 30 Days: Find Profitability & Sustain Growth  

Focus on: keeping your established groundwork and pursuing strategic growth opportunities.  

You have a firm grasp on your team dynamics and established processes in place. Once you’ve identified success at the base-level, it’s time to find areas of growth. Start with the work that’s been done thus far and build out from there. That doesn’t mean you should forget about continuing to enforce culture and process, it means you’re building up more value to bring to the company. 

Your CEO will expect you to have your team fully productive and understand your future growth plan. 

Growth & Sustainability Checklist  

- Develop a team hiring plan (based on your budget recommendation)  - Present clear goals and results to upper management on a consistent basis (monthly, quarterly, etc. - Contribute to the broader company strategy in executive team meetings - Explore leveraging marketing in unique ways to grow your sector of business - Collaborate with key stakeholders in other departments on a new growth project Have a clear vision and plan for your team moving forward

After 90 days the “training wheels” are off and you should be operating at a normal capacity of your role. Using this 30-60-90 day will help you get there and position yourself for success with others in the organization. 

  • Recruitment & Integration

New leadership job? You need a 30-60-90-day plan

30 60 90 day plan

Starting a new role often comes with feelings of nervousness, or perhaps even some level of anxiety. A change of this nature can be stressful. And, when it comes to shifts in leadership, the stress felt isn’t necessarily limited to the person stepping into the new position.

Some research has shown that team members or employees also feel an impact on their stress levels when a new leader, either a direct manager or someone more senior, takes the reins.

The point is, there is a ripple effect when a new leader steps in – and if you’re the one who’s going to be filling those shoes, you no doubt want to make sure that the impact (on team members, coworkers, and the organization) is a positive one, and that you’re able to effectively manage your own adjustment and growth.

How? Quite simply – with a plan. One of the most effective ways of transitioning into a new role is with a 30-60-90-day plan .

What is a 30-60-90-day plan?

This plan is a structured overview of the goals you’d like to achieve within the first, second and third month of employment, respectively. It’s a roadmap that clearly indicates the route that will be taken to begin the integration process in your new role.

The 30-60-90-day plan is often presented during the final stages of the interview process. It’s a fantastic tool to show the hiring organization that you have a clearly defined strategy for the first three months on the job.

Even if this strategy isn’t a requirement during the interview phase, it’s a great way of detailing an action plan for your own benefit, and for the sake of your team or the employees that will be under your leadership. Having this outline eases the transition and gives you a sense of direction in a period that can be very overwhelming.

What does this plan look like in practice?

The general consensus on a 30-60-90-day plan is that it should involve a process of absorbing , contributing and then leading .

The first month: making your way to the 30-day mark

During the first 30 days, you want to take in as much information as possible. You’ll want to spend time observing, learning and understanding everything, including:

  • Strategic objectives
  • Mission and vision
  • Company culture
  • What the company expects from you
  • Processes and procedures
  • Customers and clients
  • Competitors

It’s also an important time to start building professional relationships with your colleagues.

The second month: building up towards the 60-day mark

Once you’ve found your bearings, it’s time to start digging deeper into your involvement. It’s the point at which you really want to start showcasing your strengths and building your personal brand by contributing. On a practical level, that entails:

  • Focusing less on training and more on practical tasks, professional interactions and customer satisfaction
  • Increasing your workload
  • Speaking up in meetings and contributing to conversations
  • Sharing your ideas
  • Evaluating current procedures and changes
  • Suggesting ways to improve your team’s processes
  • Brainstorming methods to contribute to the company’s growth

The third month: taking bold steps towards the 90-day mark

By the third month in your new position, you should have experienced a good deal of growth in your confidence – both in your role and in your abilities. At this point, you should be taking proactive steps in your leadership capacity . It’s time to start:

  • Making significant contributions to your team
  • Transforming and optimizing processes that need attention
  • Implementing new strategies or leading new initiatives
  • Participating in meetings
  • Getting involved in company initiatives and broadening your horizons
  • Addressing your mistakes
  • Acknowledging your growth and progress

For more guidance, download a free 30-60-90 day plan template designed by HubSpot here .

What are the benefits of following a 30-60-90-day plan?

It’s tempting to dive straight into the thick of things when starting in a new role, in the effort to save time, to feel productive and start making a good impression as soon as possible.

But, taking a strategic approach and allowing yourself the room to grow into your role with a 30-60-90-day plan may have the following benefits:

  • If presented during the interview phase, it demonstrates that you’re serious about the position, that you’ve done your research and that you’re committed to becoming a part of the organization
  • It’s a showcase of your abilities as a leader and the potential you have to make a positive impact as part of the organization
  • When commencing the job, it helps you to understand the requirements of the role and how you can meet those practically
  • It’s a great way of showcasing your strengths to the organization and to your team, helping build trust in your leadership
  • This type of plan gives you a form of structure which helps ease the stress often associated with starting a new role
  • Having a concrete list of objectives gives you clear direction and a benchmark to measure your progress against

The first 90 days are critical. In one of our recent blogs , we discussed how new hires, promoted employees and transitioners benefitted from receiving a copy of The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins and discussing this on a monthly basis at in ‘lunch and learn’ sessions. Ultimately, a 30-60-90-day plan has the potential to complement a company’s integration efforts, boosting retention and offering you the opportunity for long-term growth at that company.

How vi by Aderant helps leaders stick to their plan

We know that it takes time for new employees to become a part of an organization’s cultural fiber. With our software , organizations can make sure that no new hire falls through the cracks, giving leaders the opportunity to successfully carry out their 30-60-90-day plan.

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30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

A 30-60-90 Day Plan For New Leaders

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

Team Dynamics

August 9, 2016 Paul LaRue Author of The UPwards Leader

Leaders new to a team have the unenviable task of getting results, building trust and establishing credibility.  All the while they are learning their new role, and possibly even a new company.

For some leaders, doing one or the other is attainable, but doing all simultaneously can be a daunting task. It can be a delicate balance at times, and giving attention to everything at once can be a bit overwhelming.

Whether the leader is brand new to leadership, or new to their team, or is a seasoned leader in a new company, the ability to quickly establish change can make or break the leader as well as their teams, and possibly the organization.

I have realized over the years that the most effective way for a leader to create results and build culture is to adopt a rolling focus, 30-60-90 day game plan. Here it is in simplified form:

First 30 Days - Focus on People & Culture

During this time you should make every effort to connect with as many people in your company as you can. At the same time, immerse yourself into the company culture: values, mission, goals, and current (if any) strategic plans. You want to find out who your people are, what strengths they bring to the team, and how aligned they are with the company culture. At the same time, you will be promoting the culture and re-establishing everyone's belief in the organization and where it's headed. Getting everyone connected to yourself, and more importantly to the greater vision and mission is the primary objective in the first 30 days.

Next 30 Days (30-60) - Build The Brand

As you are laying the foundation of culture among your people, you'll be seeing how things operate and looking for ways to execute flawlessly. Brands are built internally first, by insuring the business model and daily operations support the culture and effectively serve your clients and customers. Take this time to really focus on training, procedural simplification, process improvement, and other efficiencies that will make your brand more consistent and reliable. The best marketing campaign for any company is wasted money if the service cannot be relied upon.

Final Stretch (60-90 Days) - Profitable or Sustainable Growth

Now is the time to plan marketing, strategic growth and revenue opportunities. By this time you have started a trajectory that will enable you to capitalize on the work done thus far. Now you can confidently say your products are better than the competition because of the attention to quality. You can promote best-in-class service because your people are engaged. And you can find new methods to increase top-line revenue and control your costs that will allow the organization to fund new initiatives, hire more people, and impact more customers.

These 30-day increments are designed to make the most of the foundation needs of the organization before moving on to the next phases. That doesn't mean in the first 30 days you won't need to worry about operations or profit & loss (these are daily focuses from the first day). But you'll need to make the concerted effort to enhance the culture, then the brand, then the growth that will become the springboard for change and results. And through this 30/60/90 day cycle, you'll see results in your metrics at the end of each month that will show how effective this approach can be.

Many new leaders have a 3-month, 6-month, and first-year game plan to create impact in their new role. But in our faster world, you'll need to set up a way to hit the foundational touch-points both quickly and solidly. Set the ripple effect from Day 1 that allows culture and people to permeate operations and ripples through sustained results and future growth for your organization.

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

Paul draws off of his years in senior leadership to pursue his passion - to enable leaders to increase their positive influence in their world. He is the author of the book "Leadership LIFT" and a regular contributor to Michael Lee Stallard's Connection Culture website.

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15 Responses

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Very good Paul — many leaders take the first 30 day recommendation for granted, not seeing the valuable and substantial return on investment of time and energy. Trust, respect, and rapport where one can influence is essential to achieving everything else. The trust is crucial in that when there is new leadership, fear is a natural emotion that is present and which clouds activity/productivity. Mitigate fear with actively building a trusting rapport. Bottom line, each team member needs reassurance that they will be respected and appreciated.

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

You’re right, JoAnn, in your assessments. It always starts with people!! I’ve seen many leaders lose trust in those first days and never recover.

Appreciate it!

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Paul, I enjoyed your article and believe that you covered important points at a very high level. Structuring meet and greets in the first 30 days with key stakeholders and leaders in an organization should be something that the new leader approaches as a structured interview style. It has helped me in several situations especially in complex, highly matrixed organizations. The other important thing that the new leader should remember is to trust their gut. Trust but verify should be a 60 day assignment. Thanks for taking the time to write down a template. KG

You’re welcome Karen. Thank you!

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I enjoyed your article a lot! I have made the mistake in the past of not spending enough time learning about the people first before the processes. As I am a stickler for details when you are talking 30 days, are you referring to working days only? When I hear someone talk about months we are talking about as few as 21 working days in February. I mention this because of the fast paced world we live in. Thanks!

The 30 day increments are month periods. I use that to help people see at least 2 months of performance. The 30 days in itself is not a hard and fast tiemframe, but due to measurable timeframes most people want ro see what the initla impact is.

The most important thing Gary, is to focus on the growing layers of foundation and not on the number of days. Be flexible but use the guideline to guide success.

Best to you!

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Paul, Good article and thanks for sharing. I like the ideas of focusing on people and culture during the first period and building the brand during the second period. Knowing the people and understanding the culture of an organization are critical in my view to expanding on the brand (assuming one exists already). Leveraging off of the knowledge and experience of the people and the legacy of culture can be a powerful combination to gain trust and inspire others during change in my view. My thoughts on the third period is that this is the time to plan for profitability and sustainable growth by capitalizing on the work done thus far as you well put it. I agree that it is important to set a faster pace in today’s business environment and most important that a leader has a plan of action that can communicate a vision and act as a reference during the process. A clear and concise vision and a plan to achieve helps to respect others, build confidence, and in many ways binds the organization together in terms of collaboration and innovation in my opinion. Best Regards, Ray

Thank you so much, Ray! Yes we need a faster pace to get established by in today’s environment. Glad you found the ideas relevant and best of success to you!

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Good article, As previously mentioned in a comment by Karen, meeting with key stakeholders is critical. I also believe that meeting those on the “front line” is equally as important. Understanding the vibe on the manufacturing floor or in the trenches of any department offers a fantastic opportunity to just understand the culture, but to build trust at that base level. Nothing creates as positive a “buzz” as when employees feel truly listened to from the higher-ups.

Absolutely Cheryl! It is so essential to start the right culture from day one. Building your team by meeting your team is the key way to lay that foundation.

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Thanks Paul for this insights.

One additional element I have found to be crucial is to allow people to understand who I am and what my values and goals are for the organization. Early in my career I was installed to lead a struggling NJ-based organization that was reeling from 9/11 and the sudden removal of their patriarchal President. I had been brought in from Asia on an internal transfer but few people knew me. The very first thing I did was have a town hall meeting explaining who I was, what I believed in and what I knew we could accomplish. That set the tone and then I got to know everyone. They trusted me. It worked a treat and we became the most profitable region globally in 9 months.

Craig, you truly exemplified the “people and culture” part of the first 30 days. Great job!

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Paul, This is an excellent article.

I wish I had read your article prior to starting with the organization that I’ve been working with for exactly one year. I did my observations, etc., and after the one year, staff reverted back to old behaviors and I was asked to prepare a 90 day Leadership Plan.

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Excellent article, especially a clear theme for each 30 day concept plan. I feel your defining theme relates quite well with the team development principles – form (people and culture), storm (building brand), perform and transform (sustainable growth). Thank you Paul for sharing your thoughts and ideas.

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30-60-90 day plan: How to onboard new hires with ease

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A 30-60-90 day plan outlines the first 90 days of a new team member’s employment and familiarizes them with company policies, team work, and goals. This action plan helps your team members check off essential items as they adjust to their new work environment. In this piece, we’ll outline the key components of a 30-60-90 day plan and explain why having one is beneficial.

It’s universally acknowledged that the first 90 days at any company can be intimidating. This isn’t any one person or program’s fault, either. There’s a lot for your new team members to learn—including using different tools, navigating team norms, and adjusting their own expectations. But when you provide new hires with guidance and expectations, you empower them to hit the ground running from day one.

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is an outline of a new hire’s first 90 days on your team. It lays out exactly what your new employee should accomplish, from their first week to the end of their third month in a new job. The goal of a 30-60-90 day plan is to give team members a concrete plan for getting up to speed and accomplishing their learning goals. It helps ensure every new hire feels welcomed into the company and understands the responsibilities of their role.

30-60-90 day plans often include the following milestones for each month of onboarding: 

1–30 days: The first month involves intensive training for the employee’s new position. This is when the new hire learns as much as possible about company policies, your company’s products, team structure, and job responsibilities. 

31–60 days: The second month of employment is the new hire’s opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice by taking on new tasks. This is a key learning period, so it’s ok if your direct reports make mistakes as they get familiar with how things are done. 

61–90 days: The third month of employment is when the new hire starts mastering the skills of their job. This means your employee can now fully meet job expectations and start achieving long-term performance goals .

[Inline illustration] What is a 30-60-90 day plan? (infographic)

A 30-60-90 day plan may have similar sections for all new hires, such as company policies and resources. That said, you should also tailor many parts of the plan to fit each individual’s specific role and responsibilities .

What are the benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan?

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan helps improve your onboarding process and set new employees up for success. Onboarding can make or break someone’s experience at a new company, so it’s worth investing in. In fact, research shows that a strong onboarding process can improve employee retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

With a 30-60-90 day plan, you can: 

Set goals and create clear expectations for an employee’s first three months on the job.

Space out training sessions and introductions so new hires don’t feel overwhelmed. 

Ensure new team members have the knowledge, resources, and skills they need to be successful in their new role. 

Take time to communicate your core company values . 

Build trust with effective feedback throughout the onboarding process. 

Proactively creating a 30-60-90 day plan can also benefit your hiring process and interview process. Candidates often want to know what their first few months on the job will look like. Having a plan already in place helps hiring managers and recruiters paint a concrete picture for applicants during job interviews. 

What should new hires accomplish in their first 90 days?

Your new hire’s focus in the first 90 days should be to integrate into company culture and master their job description. While there’s time during this initial period for new hires to help with tasks outside of onboarding, your new team members’ initial objectives should revolve around basic acclimation.

Some accomplishments you may ask your new hire to achieve in their first 90 days include:

Learn the company’s mission

Know the organizational structure , including management roles and fellow team members

Understand the responsibilities outlined in the job description

Understand the project roadmap from start to finish

Set short-term objectives toward long-term goals

You should hold a performance review at the end of a new hire’s first 90 days to assess their progress. During this time, you can offer constructive feedback about what they’ve accomplished and how they can continue to improve in their role.

How to write a 30-60-90 day plan

Typically, you’ll write a 30-60-90 day plan before your new hire onboards or immediately after they begin their job. As a result, you probably don’t know a lot about your new hire’s personality or strengths. Instead of making your 30-60-90 day plan personal to the team member’s abilities, use your expectations for what you want them to become in their new role to customize each plan. 

[Inline illustration] How to write a 30-60-90 day plan (Infographic)

Step 1: Ask questions

Once you’ve hired someone new, start your 30-60-90 day plan by looking at the big picture and assessing how your new hire fits into that picture. Ask yourself any questions that come to mind about the job role, the onboarding process, and the team. Some questions to begin brainstorming include:

What need do you hope for this person to fill? 

What specific problem are you bringing this person in to solve?

What should this person know in order to be successful?

What will the new hire’s daily responsibilities be?

How will the new hire take part in project development?

Ultimately, your 30-60-90 day plan will give your new hire a clear idea of what the first three months will look like. Answering these questions early sets them up for success and helps them build their skills for the role.

Step 2: Set realistic expectations

Your 30-60-90 day plan isn’t a day-to-day list of activities your new hire will be working on. Rather, your goal is to give your new hire an overview of their purpose within the company. 

You should also keep in mind when you create your 30-60-90 day plan that a new team member can only do and learn so much in their first few months of employment. While you may have some dire needs to address, try not to throw too much on your new hire’s plate too fast. 

Consider what a reasonable workload should be and minimize that workload for at least the first 30 days. Expect there to be a learning curve. Then, if you find that the team member catches up quickly, you can add work to their plate as appropriate. 

Step 3: Create SMART goals

According to a 2014 study by BambooHR, the average company loses one-sixth of their new hires each month for the first three months. Setting concrete goals during onboarding can boost retention, especially if those goals are SMART—specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. SMART goals help clarify expectations and give team members clear stepping stones to follow. That way, new hires are less likely to feel overwhelmed or unengaged. 

The specific goal and success metrics you set for your new hire will depend on their particular role and level within the company. Check out some example 90-day SMART goals for different employee positions:

Writer: Successfully publish three articles for one of our clients, which includes taking each article through the entire publishing process from QA to internal edits, client edits, and final edits. 

Customer support: Work with team members to close 30 tickets, which includes learning the internal computer system and solving an array of unexpected tech issues. 

Agency: Collaborate with stakeholders to write one promotional piece. Then promote the piece to bloggers and successfully get it published on at least three websites relevant to the client.

While the new hire’s first 90 days should focus on helping them get comfortable in their new role, adding measurable goals to their action plan can give them a project to work on so they don’t feel like their only purpose is to shadow others. 

Step 4: Give them a mentor

A 30-60-90 day plan isn’t a document you’ll hand over to your new hire and then simply send them on their way to complete their duties. This document should be a reference for your new hire while they collaborate with you and other team members to accomplish tasks. 

When writing your plan, assign the new hire a mentor to give your new hire any advice or guidance they might need. This person will be their go-to guide during the first few weeks for any questions. A good mentor can help orient your new hire so they don’t feel so overwhelmed by their new work environment.

Make sure to set your new hire up with a mentor who isn’t their manager. That way, they have someone they can turn to with questions about team synergy and team norms . As their manager, you can focus on providing bigger picture guidance about long-term goals and team collaboration best practices.

Step 5: Set up regular check-ins

An important thing to remember when creating a 30-60-90 day plan is to stay flexible. Even if you feel like your plan outlines exactly what you hope for your new hire to accomplish, there’s no guarantee that the first 90 days will go as expected. 

For example, another team may need help from your new hire a week into their employment, which can derail the SMART goals you initially set for them. It’s also possible that your new hire will learn at a slower or faster pace than you expected. When you understand that the plan is an outline and not a schedule, you’ll feel better about the work you’ve put into it.

Essential components of a 30-60-90 day plan

The contents of a 30-60-90 day plan are unique to the team member joining your organization, but the framework of the plan should look similar.

The essential components of a 30-60-90 day plan include:

Company mission: Briefly state your company’s mission at the top of the 30-60-90 day plan to give your new hire an idea of what your company stands for. 

Guiding points: Guiding points may include information about your company culture and elaborate on your business’ core values . For example, these points may include things like: “Ask questions… Value relationships… Have a team mindset… Put your health first…”

Meet the team: In this section, include pictures and blurbs of the people your new hire will work with closely. This can be a good reference for the new hire as they try to learn names and team roles. 

First day overview: The first day overview is the only section of the 30-60-90 day plan that lists out a detailed schedule for the new hire. While this schedule may change, do your best to let your new hire know what to expect on their first day of work , including log-in information or how to set up their email and phone voicemail. That way, they don’t come in feeling lost and unsure about what to do or where to go. 

Top priorities: In the top priorities section of the plan, include an overview of the new hire’s job responsibilities and any needs you hope for them to fill in their new role. 

SMART goals: As mentioned above, the SMART goals you list in the 30-60-90 day plan should be measurable, job-related goals you hope the new hire will achieve within their first 90 days. 

Resources: In the resources section, list links to the company handbook, job description, team directory, and other relevant resources. You can add any resources to this section that you think the team member will find useful as they familiarize themselves with the company and the job.

30-60-90 day plan example

Not sure where to start? Check out our example 30-60-90 day plan template below for inspiration on how to optimize your onboarding process.

[Inline illustration] Essential components of a 30-60-90 day plan (Example)

Use this 30-60-90 day outline as a framework to build and customize a plan that works for each new hire that you onboard.

Streamline the onboarding process with work management tools

Printouts and documents quickly become out of date. Keep your onboarding process flexible by creating your 30-60-90 day plan with project management software . Once you share the plan, you can easily monitor your new hire’s progress—plus assign day-to-day action items to keep things on track.

  • Successful 30-60-90 Day Plan
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A 30-60-90 day plan can help you prove to a new employer that you know your role within a new company. It demonstrates that you understand the position’s responsibilities and are prepared to tackle them, starting on day one.

A successful plan also helps you to better adapt to your new role and work environment.

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

When to use a 30-60-90 day plan, benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan template with example, 30-60-90 day plan example, tips for creating your own 30-60-90 day plan, 30-60-90 day plan tips for executives and managers.

A 30-60-90 day plan is a formalized document containing intents, goals, and actions that a new employee plans to execute to maximize his efficiency in a new role.

A 30-60-90 day plan can be used in any position or company.

For a regular employee, a 30-60-90 day plan is a way to show the interviewer that you know what to do and have a plan for this new role . It is a type of preparation that a prospective employee might opt to create before their interview, or it might be something an interviewer requests applicants to create.

For executive positions, the purpose of the plan is the same, the only difference is the scale of the plan, or the department level that it would apply to. A prospective manager would prepare the plan to show what they will do to succeed in the role.

The plan should demonstrate that new employees are able to set goals that are in line with the company vision.

This plan is ideal for those who are seeking to make a strong positive impression during an interview.

It demonstrates what you will bring to the job, highlights your seriousness about the position, and shows that your goals dovetail with those of the company.

No matter the level of the role, a strong 30-60-90 day plan can be an asset during the interview process.

Regular level employees can show the value that they will bring to the team, and higher level employees can demonstrate how their leadership will create positive effects within their team or department.

Many hiring managers want to see that their new hires are serious about their jobs and career. This plan gives insight into how a new hire plans to fulfill the goals of their new role, their understanding of various processes and how they tackle challenges.

While it is most commonly used for those who are beginning new positions, it can also be used to work on a new project. The same template can be helpful to set actionable goals and achieve them in regards to a new project that you are working on.

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A 30-60-90 day plan is a helpful tool for both the candidate and the organization.

When a candidate writes a good plan, they demonstrate competency, while potentially impressing hiring managers.

The organization can then use the plan to judge the potential candidate for suitability within the role, department or team.

Here are a few of the benefits of creating one:

1. Increased chances of being hired

Because you will be doing your homework before the interview, it proves that you are a committed team player.

This often impresses your interviewer and can give you a larger chance of being hired.

2. Positive impression on the interviewer

If you are a new employee or a potential hire, a 30-60-90 day plan can show to your employer that you know what you are doing. It demonstrates that you have a plan in place.

Prepare it prior to your interview even if your interviewer doesn’t request one.

3. Smooth onboarding

Starting a new job can be rough sometimes. A 30-60-90 day plan helps you to better integrate yourself into a new team and makes a smoother transition for you.

In creating this plan, you will have to research the role, the tasks you will be assigned, and set out plans for completing them.

In doing so, you’ll be formulating solutions, considering the best plan of attack, and gaining a deeper understanding of the job. This will help set you up for success from day one.

4. Increased productivity

Because you will have a clear goal to work toward in your first 90 days, you have better focus and increased productivity.

Each day, you should know exactly how your tasks fit into the bigger picture of your 30-60-90 day plan.

There are four key areas that should be included in your 30-60-90 day plan:

  • Personal goals
  • Actions and metrics

In each phase of your plan, you should have something that you are focused on learning.

This might mean meeting with your team to understand their pain points. It might mean learning the ins and outs of your company’s product to make better sales pitches.

Particularly in the first 30 day phase, you should be doing a great deal of learning.

This is part of your plan that should start to take shape. In what areas can you improve performance (either your own or the company’s)?

This should help you to better align your personal responsibilities with the mission of the team you work with.

Start to narrow down what the priority is so that you can better set personal goals in the next section.

This is the best place to mark down exactly what you want to accomplish.

Make sure that you have some insight into your goals and why they are essential to achieve.

This helps to keep your focus clear and doesn’t allow you to lose sight of the company’s mission.

Action and metrics

This is the stage where you determine how you will measure your progress toward your goals.

How will you know when you have achieved a goal? It is important to have specific qualifying action steps behind each one of your goals so that you do not lose momentum.

  • If you want to improve your sales pitch, then you might sit in on a sales call with a seasoned salesperson three times this week.
  • If you want to reduce the budget, you might have a goal to spend 10 percent less on office supplies.

Whatever your goal is, you need to have an action step associated with it to help you measure your progress.

During the first thirty days in your new position, you spend as much time as possible learning about your company processes, your team, product or the services you sell. This might involve things like:

  • Interviewing team members to assess their strengths
  • Joining staff on sales calls to learn more about the product or service
  • Interviewing customers to learn more about their needs
  • Spending time with customer service to determine where your product or services fall short
  • Pinpointing current goals and seeing if progress is being made
  • Reviewing the budget

Once you have a firm grasp on who you are working with and how you are expected to perform, it is time to implement new aspects of your role.

For regular employees , the focus should be stepping more fully into your role. You have taken the time to learn what that role is, now you should be beginning to deliver results and reaching good working performance.

For higher level employees , like executives or managers, you will start setting new goals for your team. Create goals based on the information you learned during the first thirty days. This is the time for you to share your new goals with the team and start to hold them accountable for the changes.

Regardless of the level of your role, this is a time for you to set goals along with actionable steps you can take to achieve them.

All goals should be specific and measurable. You should also be able to achieve them within a specific timeframe.

TIP: Set a clear metric so you will know when you have achieved each goal.

For example, if your goal is to improve your sales pitch, you might have a metric of observing a more seasoned sales professional in a number of phone calls. You might also have them listen in on a few of your sales calls to offer constructive feedback .

As you move into the first ninety days of your position, you should be ensuring that your performance is in line with company goals and the goals for your specific role.

You should have a solid foundation of knowledge regarding your job, the ability to complete your tasks properly, and an understanding of how your performance helps the organization.

For employees, this is a prime moment to look towards leadership opportunities. Ask yourself ‘what path do I want to take with this organization?’ and begin to set yourself up for that journey. Take initiative and reach out to stakeholders who may be able to help you.

For management level employees, this is when you can start to make bigger changes. Look at the overall picture of your company or department and determine where changes can be made. Ensure that each team member is where they are supposed to be, review the budget, and replace ineffective processes with new ones.

Much like your goals set for the first sixty days, all goals here should still be measurable, time-bound, and specific. While this is bigger picture thinking, each goal should still be realistic and attainable.

While some hiring professionals will come directly out and ask you for a 30-60-90 day plan, many will not.

It is still an excellent idea to create one to show just how you will stand out in the workplace.

As you begin to write this plan, you should ask yourself: What changes would you make and how would you go about your new role in the first ninety days? This will help you create a solid plan that will impress hiring managers.

1. Identify the company’s mission

You can’t create a plan until you have a clear idea of what the company is looking for.

You should spend a great deal of time researching its mission, core values, and any information you can find on its current processes or products.

Each plan should be catered specifically to the culture of the company you are applying to work for.

2. Thoroughly understand the job description

You should tailor your plan to the position that you are applying for instead of overreaching your bounds.

You might have many ideas for the company as a whole, but pay careful attention to the job description.

  • What is the role?
  • What would your responsibilities be?
  • What expectations does the company have?
  • Is there a probation period?

3. Explain your plan thoroughly

When you head into an interview, you must prepare a copy of your 30-60-90 day plan.

It can be in the form of a PowerPoint presentation, slides, or paper.

However, you should do more than just slide it across the desk and hope that they understand it. Present it to the interviewer in detail.

4. Don’t be ashamed to brag

Present your plan in great detail.

When you discuss the goals you want to set, it is important to relate these goals to accomplishments you have had in the past.

What have you done that was similar at another company? Focus on your future at this new company but don’t forget about all of the amazing things you have done in the past!

5. Identify your priorities

Setting goals can be challenging if you aren’t aware of your priorities.

Why were you hired for this exact position? Maybe your goal is to solve a specific problem within the team, or perhaps you just need to be the best you can be with your current responsibilities.

Take a few moments to think about the bigger picture of what your job should look like, and then move forward from there.

6. Set measurable goals

All goals that make it onto your list should have a means for you to measure the outcome.

Make sure that you identify how you will measure success on each of the goals that you set.

Try to list quantitative data to support your goals, such as revenue increases, increased website views, and positive customer reviews.

7. Remember to course-correct

Sometimes, starting a new position or project can be overwhelming.

You might set up your plan with the best intentions, but things can change.

If a piece of your plan no longer seems relevant or helpful, it’s okay to have the flexibility to course-correct. Change up your goals if you need to.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

You’ll never get to know your team members or your products unless you are willing to ask good questions.

Spend time with your interviewer or the company representative if they are eager to communicate with you.

Ask any questions you may have about your role and what is expected of you so that you can form clear goals for your plan.

If you are an executive or a manager who has direct reports, your version of a 30-60-90 day plan might look a bit different than a junior employee’s plan.

Here are a few tips to help you get started with your own plan.

1. Take time to learn about direct reports

During your first thirty days, you should be setting aside a large portion of your time to interview your direct reports.

Find out information about them as a person, such as their dreams and goals for their position.

  • What are the pain points of their job?
  • What barriers are there that stop them from achieving their goals?
  • How would they solve those problems?

You should know what their strengths and weaknesses are so that you can see areas where they can improve.

In meeting with each person individually and attentively listening to them, you create a good impression, gain a deep, functional knowledge of your new department, and often will get insight on how to solve these problems.

All of this information can help you to see the current reality of the work environment.

As a new manager or executive, you might be able to help influence change in a way that would boost team morale and productivity.

2. Inform yourself

Consider this step as an extension of the previous one.

Not only should you gather all of the information possible from your recruits, you should spend a lot of time in your first 30 days reading reports, reviewing documentation, talking to other managers, and meeting with higher level executives.

This is the time to ask as many questions as you can, making notes on where you see issues or potential solutions.

3. Create an atmosphere of trust and alignment

During the first 30 days, work to gain the trust of those who will be working under you.

In many organizations, a new manager can represent a threat to how things work, and employees might be resistant to big changes.

You can build this atmosphere by making an effort to get to know them and listening to their thoughts, issues and solutions.

Never diminish the thoughts or opinions of your reports. If you think that they may be wrong, simply ask more questions to better understand their unique point of view. It could be that they are seeing a problem that you don’t.

By working hard at this, you can set yourself up to have a team that trusts that you will be working with their best interests in mind, as well as the organization’s.

4. Identify your strongest employees

By the end of the first 30 days, you should be able to pinpoint who your strongest employees are.

These people will form your A-team, and will be of great service to you.

These are the employees that you will want to include in important projects, as you can depend on them to drive other employees towards reaching their goals.

By having at least a few good employees who you can depend on, you can concentrate more easily on higher level issues, comfortable in the knowledge that your team will be fine without micromanagement.

Through this process, you should also be able to see where skills gaps are in your team, and begin identifying ways to close those gaps.

Plan out ways to invest in your team and grow their strengths.

5. Set SMART goals

Once you enter the second thirty days, it’s time to get some goals down on paper.

You have spent 30 days learning the lay of the land – now you should be in a position to identify issues and solutions.

Upon hiring, you will have been given a solid idea of what the organization expects of you.

After 30 days, you will be able to create actionable goals, begin implementing changes, and really stepping into your role.

6. Review processes

During the second thirty days, you should also be paying close attention to how the processes within your department work.

Often, a fresh set of eyes can see problems – and solutions – to processes that didn’t scale well, are no longer optimized, or otherwise simply don’t work as well as they could.

It is easy to get bogged down with ‘we’ve always done it this way’ and not see how change can be a positive.

As you learn how things are done, and why, you will likely be able to identify better ways of getting things done.

7. Implement changes to meet company goals

You should take everything you learned in the first 60 days, and implement changes in the final 30 days.

  • Reduce bottlenecks,
  • Implement new processes,
  • Introduce new staff or training methods,
  • Bring new ideas to achieve better performance.

From the executive level to the day-to-day management of your team or department, you should be leaning in, contributing what you can, asking questions, and generally participating to the best of your ability.

8. Identify your staffing needs

As you enter into your final 30 days, you should have a solid handle on how things are run in your department, and how capable your staff is.

Now is the time to take a close look at your staffing needs and see if they are being met.

  • Are there bottlenecks in one department, holding things up for everyone else?
  • Are there certain employees that need to take time for training before they can perform up to expectations?
  • Could things be made smoother with new hires to help ease the workload?

Look at the short, middle, and long-term goals you have set. Create a hiring plan with those in mind.

9. Conduct regular meetings

Throughout this process, you should be checking in with your team on a regular basis.

You should have weekly meetings with your team to track progress and see how things are progressing on the goals set for the sixty- and ninety-day portions of your plan.

Depending on your work environment, these may be one-on-one meetings or a weekly team gathering.

Figure out what works best for your business, and then make these meetings a mandatory part of the company culture.

Try a 30-60-90 day plan template from Altassian in Trello.

Develop and maintain Learning Culture

In this workbook, we put together tips and exercises to help you develop your organisation’s learning culture.

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist

Ivan is a dedicated and versatile professional with over 12 years of experience in online marketing and a proven track record of turning challenges into opportunities. Ivan works diligently to improve internal processes and explore new possibilities for the company.

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The Ultimate Guide on 30-60-90-Day Plan For Managers

Navigate your new managerial role with confidence using a 30-60-90 day plan. This blog provides a comprehensive guide on how to create a strategic roadmap for your first three months.

The Ultimate Guide on 30-60-90-Day Plan For Managers

Taking up a new manager role in an organization is exciting. The new opportunity comes with a lot of perks and a zeal to prove yourself. But it also comes with anxiety and uncertainty. Are you going to be an effective leader and deliver superior results for your business? Most importantly, do you know everything you need to be able to deliver effectively in your new role? The most effective way for a leader to create results and build culture is to adopt a rolling focus, 30 60 90 day plan for managers.

This plan is designed to help new managers focus on the 3 elements: people, process, and product, and help them prioritize areas of emphasis in the first 90 days. One of the key ingredients for a successful plan is the ability to define clear and realistic goals . Our first section clearly guides you through developing clear, relevant, and measurable smart goals.

Art Of Goal Setting

Identify – Classify – Prioritize

While the plan’s main objective is to help you transition smoothly to your new role, it should also push you to perform better and raise the bar for yourself. Hence the plan should consist of practical, measurable, and focused goals for you and your team.

To write challenging and realistic goals for each of the 30 60 90 day periods, follow the approach below:

Identify the key objectives of the business. What are the targets, milestones, and strategies needed to accomplish those objectives? How would these targets translate into objectives and timelines for your team?

Classify the above goals into four categories

Learning Goals

Initiative goals, personal goals, performance goals.

Once you have listed and classified all your goals, they must be arranged in the order of their priority. For each of the 30,60 and 90 day periods, the listed goals must be prioritized, based on the business objectives, time constraints, and feasibility

The 30 Day Plan

Be A Sponge, And Absorb As Much Information As Possible!

The 30-day period of your 30 60 90 plans is all about familiarizing oneself with as many aspects of your role and the organization as possible. Many managers are eager to get started and get into execution mode too soon. The first 30 days period requires a little bit of patience. The focus of the first 30 days should be all about absorbing and learning about the business, environment, and team as much as possible.

Spend time understanding your team’s existing strategy, and past triumphs. Understand their dynamics and recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Focus on your company’s vision the work ethic and the environment in the organization. The aim is to learn the exact purpose of your role, how it fits in the entire machinery of the organization, and how to perform it optimally.

Some examples of the different goals that can be a part of the 30 day plan are,

  • Study the organization’s vision, mission, and strategy.
  • Learn about the company hierarchy , culture, and code of conduct.
  • Meet with the senior executives of the company.
  • Understand the company’s target audience and the product/service it provides.
  • Learn about the existing team and their expectations.
  • Meet your manager and learn about their expectations.
  • Read up on the company’s existing strategy, past triumphs, and past failures.
  • Learn about all the different departments of the organization, and how they contribute to the organization.
  • Research on the competition of your organization, and how your department can help the company to get ahead.
  • Run an initial stage experimental strategy, in consultation with your manager.
  • Maintain the team’s current performance output.
  • Interact with each team member, and senior management, and get to know them better.
  • Identify a mentor from senior management to take advice on a periodic basis to ensure you are on the right track and in alignment with company objectives

The 60 Day Plan

Become A Contributor And Let The Team And Management Get Confidence That You Are Ready To Get Actively Started On the Execution

At the end of 60 days of your 30 60 90 day plan, you should have already established a positive image for yourself. People must know you as a contributor, team player, and good listener. You should be able to share your ideas freely, speak more at meetings, contribute to the overall progress, and help improve the team’s functioning. You should increase your workload, and ramp up your personal progress.

The following goals can be a part of your 60 day plan,

  • Learn about how to optimize the processes of your team and business.
  • Understand the entire product roadmap, and identify key strategic areas where you can contribute.
  • Devise a strategy or define a roadmap based on the business objectives and get consensus from Senior Management and team members.
  • Based on the approved strategy, spearhead the execution strategy by initiating many projects from scratch.
  • Take more responsibility in current initiatives
  • Increase the team’s productivity.
  • Smooth out the kinks in the team’s workflow.
  • Take at least one existing project to successful completion.
  • Develop relationships outside of your team.
  • Actively organize team bonding events like team lunches or Fun Fridays, to increase team bonding.

The 90 Day Plan

Become A Leader Who Is Well Trusted And Respected

By the end of 90 days, you should really be feeling one with the organization. You should have a firm grasp of your role and the work culture around you. Personally, you should be familiar with everyone on your team and all the stakeholders that are related to your business. You must build on what you have learned in the first 60 days and work more towards execution. People must view you as a leader, and be comfortable with sharing ideas and experiences with you. Also by this time, you can take up projects outside of your roles, and collaborate more with the other teams.

The following targets can go in the 90 day plan,

  • Take note of the key learnings that come from an analysis of the major successes and failures of the execution from the last 60 days.
  • Initiate a collaboration between cross-functional teams of the organization, and spearhead various initiatives
  • Define new KPIs for the team.
  • Now that you know the current policies adequately, you can propose changes to them for more effective business practices
  • Deliver superior results on the projects that you head.
  • Ramp up the output of your team by 10 percent.
  • Perform better on the business’s feedback.
  • Hire all the vacant positions on the team
  • Join an activity club or group in the organization.

Notice how with each period, the number of learning goals decreases, and the number of performance and initiative goals increases. Hence a 30-60 90-day action plan helps you to smoothly transition from a new manager to an integral part of the organization, with the greatest efficiency.

30 60 90 Day Plan Template Examples

Below you can find some 30 60 90 Day Plan Examples in PowerPoint Templates and Google Slides Templates to effectively articulate your plan to senior management.

The 30 60 90 Day Plan Templates allow you to decide on the key priorities and the action plan for the quarter. Using a 30-60-90-day plan for manager’s examples, you can effectively showcase your understanding of business and goals to senior management.

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Your 30-60-90-day plan as a new manager

30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

Landed a new manager position? Congratulations! Here's how to plan for your first days in the role.

Starting a new job as an engineering manager can be overwhelming. In between onboarding and getting to know your direct reports, you need to familiarize yourself with the tech stack, tooling, operations, and rhythm of the business. A 30-60-90-day plan can set you up for success in your new job. Here’s how to write one for a smooth transition.

What is a 30-60-90-day plan?

A 30-60-90-day plan is a tool for new managers or managers new to their role to gain clarity of what’s expected from them. It allows you to identify the largest challenges, and set goals. It serves as a guide, a resource, and a checklist. It’s a key part of a robust onboarding process. It’s a reminder of priorities, and defines what you plan to accomplish in the time frame.

When I moved from managing the JavaScript Cloud Advocacy team at Microsoft to managing multiple teams, drafting a 30-60-90-day plan helped me think about priorities, set realistic time-bound expectations, and identify the highest priorities for myself and my teams. I used it as a checklist for my goals, as well as who to meet with.

Six tips for making a 30-60-90-day plan

1. think big picture.

Start by identifying your big goals for the first three months, then break it down into manageable tasks for each month. Reflect on your overall priorities and identify why the company hired you. Does your team have specific long-term goals? Is there anything particularly important that senior leadership wants to see?

Start with what’s important for you. Think about the steps it’ll take to set yourself on track to be successful in the role long-term. Identify how short-term goals feed into the bigger picture.

2. Set smart goals

In each stage of your strategy plan, your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. Try to be concise with your plan. Instead of, “Meet many product stakeholders”, try, “Schedule 5 initial 1:1s with product stakeholders in the first 30 days”, and “Set up 3 regular 1:1s with stakeholders outside of my organization within 60 days”. This way, you can measure your progress.

3. Be a sponge

Ask your manager and stakeholders what you can tackle in the first 90 days that will allow you to hit the ground running, as well as make a significant impact in the organization. Ask many questions about the company, culture, goals, and challenges. Soak up as much information as you can. Read existing strategy documents like annual road maps or objectives and key results (OKRs). Understanding existing OKRs is a great way to get a better sense of the current status of direction of different teams. Try to get your hands on ORKs for your team, your larger org, and cross-functional partner teams.

4. Meet, meet, meet

Relationships are crucial for leaders. Meet with your peers (the direct reports of your manager), coworkers with a similar role to you, anybody you’ll work with regularly outside your organization, and, if possible, the previous manager of your team. Ask many questions to understand the big picture. In each meeting, learn about the other person’s role in the company and get to know them as a person. Look them up on LinkedIn before the meeting. Maybe you have a shared interest to connect on a more personal level. I recommend listening as much as possible when you’re new, but also having a light agenda prepared, so these first meetings go more smoothly.

5. Be flexible

Remember, the 30-60-90 plan is less of a strict plan and more a general direction. The thinking and reflecting that goes into the creation of the plan is valuable in itself. Regularly check into your plan and be flexible to adjust it.

6. Level set expectations with your manager

It’s important to discuss your 30-60-90-day plan with your direct manager. Ask them to point out gaps and tasks that should be deprioritized. This helps to establish a shared understanding of expectations for your role, and clarifies short- and long-term goals.

An example 30-60-90 plan

Here’s a sample plan that you can adapt to your own position. Every role and company is unique, so don’t expect to use this plan exactly as it is, but it should make it easier than starting with a blank piece of paper.

Highest priority goals

  • Establish a rapport with each direct report
  • Build relationships with peers and partners
  • Deliver on project X

Biggest challenges

  • Lack of clarity for team priorities
  • Recent attrition of key players

Dates: July 1–July 31, 2022 Highest-priority goal(s): Understand current challenges of the team Actions:

  • Establish weekly 1:1 with each report
  • Set up 1:1s with peers
  • Learn about goals and challenges of Y
  • Get familiar with Z

Dates: August 1–August 31, 2022 Highest priority goal(s): Establish professional connections with the team Actions:

  • Career discussions with reports
  • Schedule a meeting with skip manager
  • Learn team members' strengths and weaknesses.
  • Evaluate team members' recent work performance.
  • Prioritize which projects need my attention
  • Coordinate with the team to optimize existing processes
  • Identify goals and identify whether the current resources are enough to achieve them

Dates: September 1–September 30, 2022 Highest priority goal(s): Build cross-team collaboration Actions:

  • Plan the roadmap for the next quarter
  • Eliminate processes that don't work and replace them with optimized ones
  • Improve communication tools and processes

Reflections

While an exact 30-60-90-day plan is almost never possible for an engineering manager, it’s important to begin a new job with goals. You might not check off everything on your plan, and you might complete some items earlier than expected. But the plan will be a useful tool for developing a strategy and aligning with your manager. Good luck!

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30 60 90 day plan call center team leader

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September 24

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30-60-90 Day Plan for Executives: The Ultimate Guide

19 powerful questions you need to ask.

If you’re taking on a new executive role, you will need a 30-60-90 day plan. The first three months are critical.  As the consultancy McKinsey notes, successful leadership transitions result in 90% higher likelihood that teams will meet their performance goals, whereas unsuccessful transitions result in 20% lower engagement and 15% lower performance.

It is true that some books and analysts overplay the importance of 90 days. Investors will give onboarding CEOs around eight months to define a strategic vision and almost 24 months to turn around the business.

However, it’s important to build credibility and momentum early , especially if you are at a lower hierarchical level than CEO, and a 30-60-90 day new leader plan is a key tool to force you to get organised, get strategic, and get moving.

The problem with most advice on 30-60-90 day plans for executives

The idea of a new leader 30-60-90 day plan for executives is common, and there are many articles, blogs and books on the topic. However, they tend to fall down in two ways:

  • Longer articles are overly detailed.  These feel like using a computer using enormous ring-bound manual. Great for reference, but hardly as a day-to-day guide.
  • Shorter articles are overly generic. “Build relationships with your team”, “Deliver some quick wins”, “Identify strategic priorities”. Who knew?!

Boston Consulting Group (2) asked 20 CEOs for their top advice about the first 90-100 days in position. Here are some of the key quotes. Personally I find this right up there in the 'overly vague' end of the scale!

“Diagnose first, decide second.”

“Follow your instincts.”

“Take notes, then prioritise and act.”

“Understand that as the head person, you have only three topics: people, strategy, and values. Everything else is secondary.”

“Find people you trust and use them for problem solving.”

A better, more agile approach to the 30-60-90 day plan for executives

Time for a new approach. In this article we provide:

  • A one-page roadmap, a simple list of 19 powerful questions to be answering during this critical 90-day period as a new leader
  • Something you can print , carry, and use to jot down thoughts against each question. This will help you see where you’re coming up short of answers, and be able to course correct as you go.
  • A month-by-month roadmap , so you don’t have to be looking at all the questions all the time.

You can also download   a one-page PDF “cheat sheet” for simple reference by clicking the link below.

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NAILING YOUR NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE

Discover our 8-lesson course to maximise your impact in your new leadership role.

You won't find low-level management tips. You will find key mental shifts, insights and new ways of thinking to stretch you and help you step up to a new level.

Simply download the 18 question checklist using the button below and then we'll add you to this free course within 48 hours.

What mistake are you likely to make in your 30-60-90 Day Plan?

Korn Ferry researched leaders in Americas, Europe, and Asia and identified the top mistakes that senior executives make during their first 90-100 days:

  • Failing to establish strategic priorities - 24%
  • Waiting too long to implement change - 16%
  • Committing cultural gaffes and/or political suicide - 16%
  • Not spending enough face time with subordinates - 14%
  • Getting sidetracked by “fire drills” — having a short-term focus - 11%

They also researched the top thing that a senior executive must build into their new leader 30-60-90 day plan to succeed:

  • Articulate vision and goals - 25%
  • Form and solidify a team - 25%
  • Identify and address what’s important to key stakeholders - 16%
  • Understand and adapt to the culture - 14%
  • Identify the leverage points and the KPIs for success - 10%

Finally, Harvard Business Review surveyed executives to find the biggest errors and pitfalls in the first 90-100 days that impacted their ability to deliver the results they wanted:

  • Poor grasp of how the organisations works - 69%
  • Misfit with culture - 65%
  • Difficulty creating peer alliances - 57%
  • Lack of understanding the business model - 48%
  • Ineffective decision making - 31%

Know thyself, executive

Review the lists above.  What's are the mistake you are most likely to make, when you rely on your instincts? What's the one thing you might overlook when constructing your plan?

New Leader 30-60-90 Plan for Executives: Overall Roadmap

There are 6 phases you need to be thinking through, and there are specific questions for each. You’ll notice that the first two of these are typically forgotten about by new leaders (at their peril!):

  • Preparation: CHOOSE A WINNABLE GAME Before you accept the new executive role, there’s some due diligence you need to do. Use these questions to make sure your new position isn’t doomed from the start!
  • Day 0: PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF This is the period between accepting the offer and turning up for the first day on the job. Most leaders fail to take advantage of this unique season, but it's a game changing opportunity to build relationships and insights before you arrive. Here are the questions you need to be asking during this period.
  • Day 1: BE THE MANIFESTO Your first day sends a big message. Here's the one critical question you need.
  • Days 2-30: FIND THE RALLYING CRY The first month of your executive 30-60-90 day plan is about understanding the people and the business issues, and validating your top strategic objective.
  • Days 31-60: MAKE YOUR MOVE The second month of your executive 30-60-90 day plan is when you’re likely to make some major moves, in terms of people and projects.
  • Days 61-90: KEEP IT UP The final month of your executive 30-60-90 day plan blends execution and preparation for the long term. Don't forget these questions as the honeymoon period draws to an end!

So, with the overall roadmap in mind, we can jump in to the questions. But for a deeper understanding, I recommend you check out the box below:

The power of CONTEXT to frame CONTENT

A piece of information, in isolation, is very difficult for us humans to process and evaluate. We need to compare it to something else. Apples to apples, or oranges to oranges.

It’s this CONTEXT that allows us to assign a level of "value" to the new piece of information.

Say I was talking to you about, say, some new videoconferencing software. Consider the difference between:

  • “It’s so good you don’t need to spend $1000 on airfare each time you want to run a meeting. The software costs $50 per month.”
  • “It’s so good it’s a real step up from using Skype for free. The software costs $50 per month.”

Similarly, when I coach leaders I often suggest they invent a catchphrase . It’s a great way to change culture and spread their way of thinking within their organisation.

The thing about a catchphrase is it needs context . Otherwise people won’t notice.

Simply saying “ we have a saying around here ” opens up a context for what is now going to be said. The expectation is that some valuable piece of insight and shared wisdom is about to be shared, and people listen up and pay attention.

The power of using CONTEXT to shape in your new leadership role.

There are six distinct phases to a successful 30-60-90 days as a new executive. The initial phases build context in a very specific way to make success way more likely. Indeed, one central phase is almost ALL about delivering a powerful context to the organisation.

New Leader 30-60-90 Day Plan for Executives: Preparation

CHOOSE A WINNABLE GAME.

Do your due diligence BEFORE you accept the role (which is a great reason to forward this article to anyone you know considering a job offer).

Before you sign on the dotted line, speak with different stakeholders  to validate that your 30-60-90 Day Plan for executives has a good chance of succeeding.  Here are 5 questions to ask.

Q1.  Is there a winning strategy?

You really want to know this before you start. You don’t want to get on a ship that’s already sunk! These follow-up questions can help you dig deeper (1):

  • What's our sustainable competitive advantage?
  • What are the risks, with collaborators, partners, trends?
  • What essential capabilities are missing?

Q2.  Is there a readiness to change?

The lack of a winning strategy might not be a problem if the organisation is ready and willing to do what it needs to change.  But if the readiness to change is not where it needs to be, you are setting yourself up for failure from the outset unless you are a seasoned turnaround expert.

Q3. What exactly does success look like?

Many leadership roles are a poisoned chalice from the start because of unrealistic or conflicting expectations among stakeholders. Speak with them and listen carefully for contradictions, uncertainty or signs of internal conflict. 

Q4. Do I have the resources to succeed?

Specifically, make sure you that you have the necessary, authority, timeframe, and access to resources to be able to deliver against the success criteria you established in question 3.

Xavier took on a President role but failed to consider reporting lines and resources. He soon learned that his only direct reports were the heads of sales and business development. Marketing, finance, information, and HR didn't report to him. By taking the title of president, but not having the appropriate authority, he’d set himself up for failure from day 1.

Q5. Why did you offer the role to me ?

This gets at the tricky question of personal fit. You need to be ruthless about your motivation, your skill set and your cultural match - otherwise you and your employer will be both heading for a rude awakening in a few months time.

For example, I’ve seen a number of cases where a VP in a tech giant has jumped into a CXO role in a hot start-up or scale-up, only to be shocked at the lack of resources and the need to ‘roll up their sleeves’ in the new firm.

"I am personally very disciplined around the first 90 or 100 days. Spend massive time within the teams to get a grip on the business and the culture; assess top management; have a defined vision and first roadmap at the end of the period and communicate around it; get two to three concrete results to demonstrate momentum." - Thoughts on new leader 30-60-90 day plans from Pierre-Antoine Vacheron (CEO, Natixis Payments)

New Leader 30-60-90 Day Plan for Executives: Day 0

PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF.

“Day 0” is not just one day of the new leader 30-60-90 day plan: it's the period between your acceptance of the position and the first day on the job. Many executives ignore this period, with the excuse that they’re too busy handing over their previous role or taking a well-earned break.

However, this would be a mistake. The period is a fantastic time to prepare to hit the ground running and make an impression right on day 1. In the 'day 0 period', focus on drafting a messaging and communications plan, learning plan and stakeholder map.

Contacting key stakeholders before you begin will make a huge difference. If you do one thing from this entire article, do this!

You may like to contact:

  • Your direct manager
  • Board and advisors
  • Your most relevant peers
  • If possible, key customers and partners
  • Key direct reports

Q6. What priorities do you see?

Get a sense of what your stakeholders see as the most important opportunities and challenges to address. This is a listening and rapport exercise. You're looking for direction from senior stakeholders, for mutual understanding with peers, and for an understanding of the needs and issues facing your own reports.

 Q7. How would you prefer we communicate?

Ask your stakeholders about how they would prefer to communicate: medium (email, call, coffee/chat,…), frequency, and how they prefer you to handle disagreements (for example: no-holds barred, discuss privately, or never, EVER, disagree with me!).

 Q8. What do I need to know about decision-making?

Ask how decisions get made.  Shaping decisions is going to be a key part of your 30-60-90 day plan, so find out about process, control points and vetos, who to keep in the loop, personalities to be aware of, and so on.

 Q9. How might I sabotage my own success?

This is a question to be asking yourself during this period. It's a great moment to reinvent yourself, up your game and play at a higher level, so consider how your default patterns of behaviour are most likely to undermine you in the early months.

By way of example, you might have a tendency to under-communicate (if you're an introvert), fail to listen deeply (if you're an extravert), frustrate operationally-minded folk with vague inspirational speeches (if you're a visionary), or fail to step back from immediate operational requirements to develop fresh new strategies (if you're a hands-on leader).

Identify one or two key tendencies to be aware of.

 Q10. What’s my leadership message?

This is the second question to be asking yourself during this 'day 0' period of your 30-60-60 day plan for executives.

Start preparing a ready-to-go message about who you are, why you’re here, what you believe in, and why people should listen to you. You’ll need to set some expectations from day one.

"I’ve reached out to some future colleagues and counterparts to introduce myself. You’re right—it is game changing. Everyone has reacted with warmth and candour, and it will make the first few weeks far more effective and enjoyable." - Nathaniel

New Leader 30-60-90 Day Plan for Executives: Day 1

BE THE MANIFESTO.

Your first day sends huge messages, and you want to get it right so that your 30-60-90 day plan starts off in the best possible way.

Here’s the one big question to ask yourself to prepare for that moment.

Q11. How will my first day communicate the values and the tone I want to set for the business?

Your first day on the job will be a crucial moment, and you have the opportunity to make the most of the insights you’ve gained in the previous phases to structure your day so your actions speak as loud as your words .

For example, if you have built a message around “listening to the customer", then set things up so that you do just that on your very first day.  If your message is that people are the most important part of the business, then how will you demonstrate that?

This checklist (from Bradt et al (1)) might give you a good first draft to work from:

  • Early-morning meeting with your boss to reconfirm and update.
  • Breakfast meeting with broad group to say hello (and not much more).
  • One-on-one meetings as appropriate.
  • Lunch with direct reports and their direct reports.
  • Afternoon activity/meetings/walkabout to reinforce key message.
  • End-of-day cocktails/coffee/social for more informal greetings.
  • Courtesy notes, voicemail for thanks or follow-up as needed.

Karen was joining a bank to integrate three separate divisions. Each divisional leader had an off-site meeting already planned for her first two weeks, and Karen initially decided to use those as a chance to meet the key individuals. However, these separate meetings perpetuated the culture of three different divisions instead of a single unified entity.

So to change direction, Karen rented a theatre for Day One and invited the entire staff of all three divisions. Then she introduced herself to her entire staff of her single entity at the same time, before kicking off a social event that got the three divisions mingling. She did go to the old divisions’ meetings, but only after setting the stage for the new approach.

"As a new leader you are absolutely sure to feel imposter syndrome. Fight it: you’ve earned this and I’m sure you’re here for a reason. Put your head down and do the work, you will succeed!" - Thoughts on new leader 30-60-90 day plans from Gabriel Jarrosson (Founder, Leonis Investissement)

New Leader 30-60-90 Day Plan for Executives: Days 2-30

FIND THE RALLYING CRY

Days 2-30 of your new leader 30-60-90 day plan for executives are all about understanding the people and the business issues , and validating your #1 strategic objective.

Q12. Who should I be speaking to? Who'd you warn me against?

As you meet the most obvious stakeholders, get their view on the less obvious people to speak with. You’ll want to spend a good amount of time with people on the frontline of the business, such as salespeople and customers. But ask around for ideas.

 Q13. What is the festering wound that needs attention?

“Understand the problems that reside on the balance sheet and communicate them early. You get one chance to erase the mistakes of your predecessors. Identify and deal with these legacy issues immediately.

Unpleasant surprises—obsolete inventory, insufficient warranty reserves, excessive goodwill, unresolved customer disputes, and festering litigation—have a way of hiding behind the numbers.” As Boston Consulting Group.

 Q14. What’s the Rallying Cry?

Towards the end of the first 30 days you will probably want to bring your leadership team together to define the overall narrative of the business. This includes your purpose, your stakeholder expectations, your strategic anchors and definition of success

But most critical of all, this workshop needs to build agreement and clarity on the all-encapsulating phrase or tagline that defines the burning imperative in the business.

We call this " the rallying cry " - the #1 priority for the organisation right now.

Once you have this rallying cry dialled in, it becomes so much easier to communicate your vision of a better future and help the wider team understand how they can contribute to the new strategy.

"In your first 90 days don’t promise any answers. Promise to listen; promise to summarise and feed back what you learn; promise to use the time to come up with a considered plan that you can then be held to." - Thoughts on new leader 30-60-90 day plans from Ashley Friedlein, CEO & Founder, Guild

New Leader 30-60-90 Plan for Executives: Days 31-60

MAKE YOUR MOVE

The second month of your new leader 30-60-90 day plan for executives is when you will start to make some major moves, in terms of people and projects .

Q15. What’s one simple, inexpensive thing we could do?

As you explore the business, keep a list of potential quick wins by asking as many people as possible this question. You can then filter and prioritise.

Bradt et al (1) give these helpful filters for quick wins:

  • They will make a meaningful external impact.
  • Your boss will want to talk about them.
  • You’re sure you can deliver them.
  • They will model important behaviours.
  • They would not have happened if you had not been there.
  • You can establish them by day 60 and deliver by your sixth month:

You’ll need to judge how many you can truly deliver “quickly”. Better to deliver a few projects quickly and well, than overpromise and underdeliver. Allocate enough resources, give the team responsible a clear charter, and celebrate and communicate on early successes (champion the champions!).

 Q16. What’s holding back execution?

Now’s also a good time to understand the bigger systemic issues that are holding your teams back. These might include:

  • Organisational inefficiencies in decision-making
  • Unclear roles and responsibilities
  • Broken linkages across groups,
  • Inadequate information flows
  • Tensions in collaboration

You will need to start to determine which are annoyances and which are real roadblocks.

 Q17. Who’s my trusted team?

You will need to have your leadership team pretty much in place by day 60.

Sometimes you need to move faster, though there is a risk that you’ll make poor decisions and come across as too impulsive. But moving too slow is a greater risk.

After 100 days, the team will be seen as ‘your team’. The problem leaders become your responsibility now, and are no longer the legacy of your predecessor. And the high performers will be frustrated if low performance is still being tolerated or ignored.

"At first, meet as many people as possible, at any level. You need to understand how the business works, not just the C-Suite. Then look, feel, test and iterate. You're here to try new things, and not to change everything. Finally, find who are the best people you want to work with, and take your responsibilities: change what you want to change." - Thoughts on new leader 100 day plans from Matthieu Stefani (CEO, CosaVostra)

New Leader 30-60-90 Day Plan for Executives: Days 60-90

KEEP IT UP.

The third month of your new leader 30-60-90 day plan for executives is a mixture of execution and preparation for the longer term .

Q18. Am I communicating clearly & consistently?

A consistent cadence of communication to all stakeholders - up, down and across - is something leaders struggle with on a regular basis.

After the initial flurry of activity, good intentions can fade away around the 61-90 day period.

Instead, work with your leadership team to make sure that everyone - from your board of directors to the front line - is receiving consistent, clear and concise communication.

One of my Founder/CEO clients, Mike, was surprised to find out during a workshop that his management team really weren't clear on his strategic priorities. He believed he’d communicated incredibly carefully - but the reality was was very different. It was an ‘aha moment’ for him and made a big difference to how the team pulled together.

Q19. What ongoing rhythms do we need to install?

At around the 61-90 day period, it’s good to give some thought into the ongoing governance that will continue to drive your change initiatives forward.

  • How are you going to ensure cross-team alignment?
  • Solve strategic issues?
  • Identify and resolve obstacles on strategic projects?
  • Periodically refine the organisational strategy?

Our experience is that separate meeting formats are needed for each of these aspects. A single general ‘management meeting’ is a recipe for the typical “meeting muddle” of updates, discussions, debate - but not a lot of strategic decision-making and bold moves forward.

"Prove it! Companies are living, breathing organisms, and when the environment changes there’s inevitably disruption. As leaders, introducing change is part of the job description as we evolve any business. Yet change for change sake without it being thoughtful and stress-tested will likely set the business back, versus catapult it forward. Be able to clearly articulate what change is required, for what purpose, with what expected measurable outcome…and work to prove it. While boldly attempted by many, building a CEO platform of trust just doesn’t happen in 90 days. Instead focus on building the foundation. Trust is earned through transparency (what’s going well and not so well at the moment), care for your people (a true partnership in their development and involvement), and doing what you say you’re going to do." - Thoughts on new leader 30-60-90 day plans from top CEO Phil Saunders (President & CEO, SABA Software)

Summary: keep these 19 questions to hand as you build and execute your 30-60-90 day plan

These 19 questions to underpin your 30-60-90 day plan as an executive represent a powerful checklist to keep you thinking about all the bases in what’s likely to be a very busy period as a new executive.

If you’d like to download the questions as a simple ‘one page cheat sheet’ , then you can do using one of the big red buttons throughout the article.

Finally, I specialise in helping ambitious, competent leaders dramatically grow their impact and influence and achieve more than they could imagine. And if you’re starting a new role, that’s a perfect time to reinvent yourself and play a bigger game.

If you’d be interested in rolling up your sleeves and mapping out what the top 1-2 game-changing moves will be for you in your new role, feel free to get in touch.

(1) The New Leader’s 100 Day Action Plan ; 2011; by George B. Bradt, Jayme A. Check, Jorge E. Pedraza; Wiley.

(2) Assuming Leadership: The first 100 days ; 2003; Patrick Ducasse, Tom Lutz; Boston Consulting Group.

Successfully transitioning to new leadership roles ; McKinsey & Co; 2018

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