The First 90 Days
It's widely accepted—and shoved down our collective throats by the news media—that a president's first hundred days are the most important of their term. This is partly because those first 100 days set the tone and momentum of their presidency, and partly because 24 hour cable news networks need to manufacture something to yammer about all day, and they seem to like round numbers.
President Obama's first 100 were probably the most difficult since FDR's, what with the two wars and the economic crisis and the pirates on the high seas and all. But, the president got through those days with roughly 70% of the country still in favor of the job he was doing. Since then, he has proceeded to please and disappoint us, to upset and inspire. His approval rating has dropped, but he's certainly not in danger of losing his job.
You probably don't have as many headaches or the same job-security as the president, though. And, if you're changing jobs—whether moving within your company or to a new one—Michael Watkins contends that you don't have as long to prove yourself. In his classic, The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels, he lays out the do's and don'ts of transitioning in the workplace. He focuses on leadership transitions, but as Jack will explain in the video below, the lessons are applicable to anyone in the workforce.
"The President of the United States gets 100 days to prove himself; you get 90. The actions you take during your first three months in a new job will largely determine whether you succeed or fail. Transitions are periods of opportunity, a chance to start afresh and to make needed changes in an organization. But they are also periods of acute vulnerability, because you lack established working relationships and a detailed understanding of your new role"
The First 90 Days, Page 1
If you're transitioning in the workplace right now, or expecting to do so soon, The First 90 Days should be promoted to the top of your reading list (and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Martha Finney's recent book, Rebound, here as well). Even if you're not, the lessons it provides will help you excel at such key business traits as promoting yourself, building teams and creating coalitions (of the willing). Watkins also states that, on average, we make 5 such transitions in our professional life, so even if you don't need it now, The First 90 Days is a great resource to have for whatever changes the future may have in store for you. Win a copy, put it on your shelf and, when you're promoted to senior vice president in a few years time, you'll come across it some worried, insomniatic night, and it will save your life.
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