An old colleague of mine asked recently, “Any advice my first 90 days?” My first reaction was this: You may not have 90 days! Today, honeymoons are far shorter than ever. You are expected to hit the ground running. You might have 60 days, but I suspect (and this comes from having hired and fired many executives and middle managers over the years) you have maybe 30 days before your reputation is more or less cemented. But no matter what, you need to mind your Ps and Qs*.
1. Ask lots of questions!
a. In many ways, you will be defined by the questions you asked, and most of them ought to begin with the word “why.”
I am reminded of the story that Dr. Conte (one of my favorite school teachers of all time) used to tell in class, about how at Christmas time mom and grandma and great-grandma would ceremoniously cut the ends off of a roast before putting it into the oven: “Why do you do that, Mama?” the little girl asks. “Because that’s the way grandma did it. Go ask her.” And so she does. “Grandma, why do you cut the ends off of the roast, grandmamma?” The answer? “Because that’s the way great-grandma did it. Go ask her?” And so she does. “Great-grandmamma, why do you all cut the ends off the roast before putting it into the oven?” “Well, child, we cut the ends off simply because in the old days roasting pans were too small to accommodate the cuts of beef that the butcher produced. So, we had to cut the ends off so that they would fit our pans!”
b. In other words, habits form early, and they are hard to break. We must be mindful that just because something is done one way, and that it has been done that way for eons, is not justification for continuing to do it that way.
Ask questions. Ask WHY questions! Peel back the onion. Pull on strings.
2. Take notes!
a. Whether it is an answer to a question, or meeting minutes, or just your own reflections at the end of the day, write them down.
b. Use paper. Scan later if you want. Use a pen. Show the person with whom you’re speaking that you actually care enough to write down what they’re saying.
I had a boss once who used to grab his notebook and a pen as we were headed out to lunch, adding …” just in case you say something smart.” He meant it as a compliment.
3. Find a mentor!
a. Someone who can help you navigate the cultural shoals and avoid the rapids.
b. And remember your experience for when you hire the next person! Find that person a mentor.
4. Learn the Culture!
a. All organizations, all groups of people, all communities, develop cultures.
b. And a company’s culture, with infinite definitions abounding on the Internet and elsewhere, boils down to this: what is it that everyone does when the bosses aren’t looking?
c. Learn yours. Ask your co-workers what it means to be a part of the group. Ask them, What’s the best part of working here?
5. Stay Humble!
a. The old saying goes like this: “If you are the smartest guy in the room, you’re in wrong room.” Remember that.
b. You may be the second coming, you may think you are precisely what the organization needs, but …
… stay humble. You were hired because your background and experience fit the bill, but until you prove yourself, and prove it with the resources you are given (plus those you argue effectively for), you are on probation.
c. Arrive early and stay late. Work hard. And here’s something to consider: write your boss a resignation letter. Do not date it. Tell her that she can execute on it at any time. It will blow her away.
6. Stay Hungry!
a. Got a pay raise with your new job? Bank it. Live on what you earned at the last job.
b. Took a pay cut in exchange for greater experience? Good on you. This will keep you hungry. Stay focused on why you made the move. See No 10 below.
7. Trust No One!
a. This may sound cynical, and it is, but you know as well as I do that there is probably someone inside of your new organization that did not get the job that you got; someone who was passed over and would love nothing more than to see you fail.
b. Develop colleagues, not friends.
c. Remember, a company is not a family. Family is where you can go and they must let you in. Not so an enterprise. It exists for itself. Period.
8. Do not engage in gossip!
a. Stay away from gossip mongers. They exist everywhere. Be polite but firm: exchanging gossip is not the kind of behavior a newcomer should engage in.
b. Indeed, as you grow into your new position, be a force for change and avoid the water cooler.
9. Understand your mandate!
a. WHY did you get hired? WHY you and not someone else? What about YOUR background and experiences does your boss want brought to bear on her organization? What changes are you expected to make?
b. Understand it clearly. Check back with your boss frequently. Ask for guidance. Ask for a weekly check-up. Whatever it takes for you to understand your mandate.
c. Ask – am I the employee you thought you hired?
10. Make damn sure that you are adding to your experience set!
a. You took the job because it offered something you did not have before.
b. What skills are you leveraging in this new position? What skills will you hope to gain?
c. What is YOUR mission in this role?
* Ps and Qs, the minding of which will serve you well, are said to have originated in Jolly Old England. The bartender at my local public house (my “pub”), said that it was his job to mind my pints and quarts, so that I did not drink beyond what he knew to be my limit.
