The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter

by Michael D. Watkins

In start-up situations, your most urgent needs are likely to be adequate financial resources, technical support, and people with the right expertise. In turnaround situations, you need authority, backed by political support, to make the tough decisions and secure scarce financial and human resources. In accelerated-growth situations, you need the investment necessary to support growth, as well as support for putting in place needed systems and structures. In realignment situations, you need consistent, public backing to get the organization to confront the need for change. Ideally, your boss will stand shoulder to shoulder with you, helping pierce through denial and complacency. In sustaining-success situations, you require financial and technical resources to sustain the core business and exploit promising new opportunities. You also need periodic pushes to set stretch goals that will keep you from drifting into complacency.