Mastering AI Product Leadership: How the Right 30-60-90 Day Plan Can Ensure Success and Satisfaction

So you are a new AI Product Leader. You got a new role, a new job or even formed your own venture.

Change is hard.?Whether it is moving from one team to another, taking on a larger role, or transitioning to a new company, the first 90 days of anything new are challenging.?

The key question you will face is: How do I effectively come on board and be successful in my new role and get satisfaction from a job well done?

I thought about this question in detail, spoke to a few standout AI Product Leaders I know and leveraged my findings, experience, thought leadership, advice into a comprehensive 30-60-90 day plan for new AI Product Leaders.

Your first 90 days in the new role have a big impact in how you will perform at a company. This window is a critical time to build credibility. You also have a limited time to ask broad-ranging ‘beginner’ questions and really take the time to learn — after this point, you’ll be expected to know deeply how the business and team runs.

You can build credibility by approaching your first 90 days systematically, taking time upfront to deeply understand the organization, product, and team. This understanding will enable informed decision making that leads to early wins.

I was guided by the broad theme given by Ravi Mehta in this excellent ReForge article. [https://www.reforge.com/guides/plan-the-first-90-days-in-a-new-product-leadership-role?swimlane=career-development ] towards a bigger picture for the 30-60-90 Day Plan.

I further put down the following guiding principles (specifically in the context of AI Product Leadership) for The Plan:

1. Preparation and research is crucial even before coming on-board formally. This is something I learned during my days at Accenture where we had excellent enablement and drive to learn as much as possible about the new role before coming on board for the client engagement.
2. Start with the end of the first 90 days in mind.
3. The keyword for the first 30 days is TRUST. The focus is on LEARNING - understanding the culture, business, and current state of AI products in the new company.
4. The keyword for the 30/60 days is OUTPUT. The focus is on ALIGNMENT: Emphasis on communicating a refreshed AI Product vision and aligning the organization against strategic priorities.
5. The keyword for the 60/90 days is LEAD THE WAY. The focus is on EXECUTING, setting up the organization for long-term execution and scaled impact.

I have kept in mind some common challenges, obstacles, and roadblocks that new AI Product Leaders face in the first 30-60-90 days. Some of these challenges are unique to AI Product Leaders, while others are common to all Product Leaders, but with an AI twist.

Common Challenges:

1. Steep Learning Curve: AI Product Leaders need to quickly grasp the company's AI strategy, technology stack, data infrastructure, and product roadmap.
2. Cross-Functional Collaboration: AI Product Leaders must build relationships with data scientists, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders to drive AI product development.
3. Technical Complexity: AI Products often involve complex technical concepts, such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing, which can be daunting for non-technical leaders.
4. Cultural Adaptation: AI Product Leaders must adapt to the company's culture, values, and ways of working, which can be challenging, especially if they're new to the organization.

Here is a comprehensive 30-60-90 day Plan guide for new AI Product Leaders.

[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aiK3znjFSXapD_tQKmPy3fd-TBH-0hbO/view?usp=sharing ]

Deborah Liu Deborah Liu's template - Making the First 90 days about is very popular.

I have adapted Deb Liu's template for a 30-60-90 day plan new AI Product Leaders.

[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f7VAJ-5-0g5JyG507yVuhbT_Vf-xh4fj/view?usp=sharing ]

The thinking and motivations that were considered in crafting this plan were driven by the imperative of setting up new AI Product Leaders for success. It provides a structured approach to onboarding, aligning expectations, and accelerating the new AI Product Leader's impact in their role.

To maximize the effectiveness of the 30-60-90 day plan, it should be crafted collaboratively between the new AI Product Leader, their manager, and relevant stakeholders. The plan should be tailored to the specific context of the company, the AI Product portfolio, and the leader's background and experience.

Regular check-ins, progress reviews, and adaptations to the plan based on learnings and changing priorities are essential for ensuring its relevance and effectiveness throughout the onboarding process.

Ultimately, a well-designed 30-60-90 day plan can accelerate time-to-productivity, enhance job satisfaction, and set up new AI Product Leaders for long-term success in driving innovation and business value.

If you're an organization looking to bring on a new AI Product Leader or if you're stepping into an AI leadership role yourself, a well-crafted 30-60-90 day plan isn't just a nice-to-have—it's essential for driving early wins and long-term success. If you're a hiring manager, take the time to develop a tailored onboarding plan that sets your new AI Product Leader up for success. If you're a new AI Product Leader, don't be afraid to ask for a clear plan and regular check-ins to ensure you're on track to deliver impact. And if you're an organization looking to drive AI innovation, recognize the value of investing in your AI Product Leaders' success. By doing so, you'll not only accelerate their onboarding but also drive business growth, innovation, and competitiveness in the AI landscape.

Let's start a conversation! How are you currently setting your AI Product Leaders up for success? Are you leveraging the power of structured onboarding to ensure alignment and deliver results? Let's work together to empower AI Product Leaders to succeed and drive AI excellence!