Executive Confidential: Tips for Thriving on Your First 90-Days on the Job

In the last few days, I've seen a growing number of LinkedIn announcements from people who have switched jobs. This gives me hope and reinforces the message that I keep writing about:

Forward-thinking organizations are actively recruiting and hiring people amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With that in mind, here's advice for those of you who either have a new position or will have a new job in the not so distant future.

Some people consider the first 90-days on the job a Honeymoon period. These people are no longer employed. Here’s why.

You’re hired into an executive role because someone believes you have the qualifications (and then some) to do the job you are being paid to do. (Notice how I didn’t say they think you’ll grow into this job.) You are expected to hit the ground running.

That’s a tall order for most. Consider the following.

Moving into a new company is like stepping into a new neighborhood. While some communities may look the same, each is a bit different. The same goes for every company.

It will take time to get your bearings. Unfortunately for executives, time is in short supply.

You see the landscape is different from one company to another, as are the political minefields. You have to quickly decide who holds power in the organization, so that you can safely navigate around the company.

For example, in one company, the head of legal might be a nice guy. You don’t have to do much to get on this person’s right side. In another organization, this key executive could become your worst nightmare if you fail to build a strong relationship early on. So how does one figure this out when everyone they meet the first week is smiling at them?

Here’s what I advise the executives that I coach to do.

Evaluate the political landscape. Focus your attention on what’s going on around you and above you. By that I mean, observe how work gets done informally, by those who seem to have a knack for getting the resources they need.

For example, are certain people being granted funds while the rest of the organization is cutting back their spending? Are there one or two leaders who can capture the ear of the CEO while the rest of the team is lining up outside the corner office for a sliver of the CEO’s time?

Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to position yourself so that you can get the resources you and your team need to succeed.

Trust no one until they prove they are trustworthy. No, I’m not paranoid. I’ve just seen a ton of executives get taken out by a wave they never saw coming. 

Here’s a familiar tale. One of the more welcoming executives decides to friend you and offers to take you to his private club for lunch. While there, he starts to dish about one of your new co-workers. You unconsciously start bobbing your head in agreement, while cutting your steak, as he tells you how this guy is entirely unqualified to do his job.

The next thing you know, your co-worker is in your office asking you why you would say such a thing. Do yourself a favor. Steer free of the free lunches. They rarely lead to anything good.

Take care in terms of who you align yourself with in the organization. It takes time to build trust. Be observant and careful until you’ve had time to determine for yourself, who may become a friend and who will become a foe.

Assess your team and make necessary changes sooner, rather than later. I’ve worked with many executives who tell me when they look back over their careers their biggest mistake was not acting fast enough in terms of changing out their team. I get this.

You’ve got enough on your plate trying to adjust to your new role. The last thing you want to do is upset the apple cart. Therefore, you do nothing.

Waiting too long to take action is a mistake that will come back to haunt you. Assess your team and make sure you have the right people in the right roles. Don’t be afraid to make changes if it appears that players are in the wrong slots. Do this sooner, rather than later.

Go for the big wins early. I remember my first year as an executive in a new company. The CEO approved everything I asked for. Then one day, this came to a grinding halt. A new executive entered the picture. I was no longer the favored child.

New leaders often have high levels of trust since they are starting with a clean slate. You’re like the golden child. You can do no wrong. Take advantage of your position. Move quickly and capture those wins that will enable you to accomplish what you set out to do when you accepted this position.

?Matuson Consulting, 2020.

Executive Confidential Coaching: Reach out to me at [email protected] to learn how engaging with an executive coach can have a huge impact on your career.