Most new managers find themselves thrown into their position without any prior experience. This inexperience is a massive challenge because they need to establish themselves as an exceptional leader to be respected and followed by their team. This article will discuss five critical things that every new manager needs to do within the first 90 days of being hired. Many of my clients who are established leaders tell me how they wish they had a guidebook at the beginning.
Find a Mentor or Coach – 
This is critical! Many managers don’t know what to do with their time or how to navigate the pressure of leadership. A mentor or coach will provide such valuable insight to help new managers navigate the challenges they face. There are three key things to consider when finding a Mentor/Coach:
Find a leader that matches the style you want to be –
Some people like to be hands-on and focus on the day-to-day operations. It allows for career progression as well as a personalized feeling. Others want a coach/mentor that will advise them strategically. There are a few approaches to managing people. A mentor or coach will guide you through establishing the appropriate style and supporting your continued development.
Find the right level and experience –
There are different levels and areas of expertise for a mentor or coach. It’s essential to find someone who has the experience, knowledge, and skill set. I advise my clients not to be afraid to reach out to someone at a level they want to reach in the next five years or has progressed in their leadership career in a direction they want to take.
Look for a mentor or coach that will be positive but honest –
Your mentor or coach should have the perfect balance of positivity and honesty. Newly hired managers need to find someone who will be a supporter and push you outside your comfort zone.
Establish your teams’ Mission, Key Characteristics, and Critical daily actions –
Your mission establishes a clear direction and vision for how to operate. This mission statement must be a clear and straightforward statement without all the fluff. The key characteristics tell your team your expectation for success. Your crucial job as a leader is to provide clear expectations of performance. Stick with three key Characteristics so they can succeed. Lastly, establish the necessary actions that you and every team member must do to achieve your mission. Author Donald Miller in his book Business Made Simple, talks about how these consistent daily actions set teams and organizations to succeed in their mission because there is a clear expectation of activities.
Learn your teams’ values –
The first step to getting on the same page as your team is learning what their values are. These values will help you understand how they work and make decisions. You’ll also be able to use these values in hiring practices when making policies or any other time there’s a question about whether an action matches with a person’s value system. Values tell us “the why,” and when you know “the why,” you have the secret sauce to motivation. The first thing I do with my clients explore their values. It is the foundation to help my clients find their inspiration to transform.
Set clear goals for the team and measure performance –
As a manager, you should set clear goals for the team and measure performance. Goals provide clarity about what needs to happen and ensure that everyone is on board with those expectations. Set up regular meetings to review the goals – Scheduling regular meetings helps keep people connected. Establish regular and consistent communication routines that are safe and where the team and you can discuss results, ideas, and performance. In today’s Covid and Post Covid world, this is now essential to your success as a leader and your team members’ overall engagement. I recommend to my clients to establish these three regular meetings:
Daily Stand-up –
A quick daily check-in with the team to learn what they need to achieve the teams’ goals and provide coherence and comradery.
Regularly scheduled one-on-one’s –
can help your staff know they are not alone in this new role by giving them someone who has their back (or at least knows where they are). You’ll also have a chance to celebrate accomplishments or talk through challenges when it comes up. I typically schedule three monthly check-in-type meetings.
Monthly Team Meetings –
A team update with as much detail and insight into the future of where we’re heading that you can provide, plus a chance to get feedback from your team on how they see things unfolding for them in their roles or what challenges they foresee down the road. It’s important to share progress in these meetings, but essential you listen and see them. My rule of thumb for team meetings is a 3-to-1 ratio: for every piece of information you share. Actively listen and acknowledge three pieces of feedback, ideas, challenges, or anything constructive your team has to share.
Establish your daily habits –
I tell my clients that what got you here won’t necessarily get you there! I would recommend that you create a daily checklist to help personalize your new leadership routine. Consider what’s most important for the day and then make sure you do it first before anything else distracts you! So before you read e-mails or listen to the voicemail your boss left you to do these four simple things:
Set your intentions for the day –
Write these in the past tense (Example- I completed the Job posting for the critical help my team needs!) If you notice, I added the why… remember the why motivates. Here is a life hack- Intentions framed in past tense tell your subconscious to prioritize this!
Share your appreciation –
Let someone know you appreciate them and why. If you start your day with this simple task, you will build trust, start your day positively, and let someone know they matter to you. The simple truth is everyone wants to feel like what they do is valued.
Read, watch, or listen to something that helps you grow –
Every day before you start your day, consume something that inspires you or enables you to grow as a leader. This growth item could be a couple of pages from a book, a podcast, or a YouTube video. This simple routine will make you a valuable resource to your team, organization, and your marketability.
Connect –
Grab coffee or breakfast with a team member, peer, or your leader. Leadership is a people game. The more connections you can establish, the more you begin to understand other’s perspectives, values, and who they are on a human level. Trust me, the human connection you establish may be the most significant positive impact you have in your career as a leader.
Download my 5 Daily Habits for Stress-Free Leadership Here
(Bonus) is to take care of yourself –
You can’t be an effective leader if you don’t get enough rest or exercise, eat right, stay hydrated, and manage your stress levels. Take time each week (minimum) for self-care in whatever form makes sense for YOU.
