The First 90 Days: Critical Success
Strategies for New Leaders at All
Levels by Michael Watkins
Good Basic Information On Leadership Transition
Whether challenged with taking on a startup, turning a business around, or
inheriting a high-performing unit, a new leaders success or failure is
determined within the first 90 days on the job. In this hands-on guide,
Michael Watkins, a noted expert on leadership transitions, offers proven
strategies for moving successfully into a new role at any point in ones
career. The First 90 Days provides a framework for transition acceleration
that will help leaders diagnose their situations, craft winning transition
strategies, and take charge quickly. Practical examples illustrate how to
learn about new organizations, build teams, create coalitions, secure early
wins, and lay the foundation for longer-term success. In addition, Watkins
provides strategies for avoiding the most common pitfalls new leaders
encounter, and shows how individuals can protect themselves-emotionally
as well as professionally-during what is often an intense and vulnerable

period. Concise and actionable, this is the survival guide no new leader
should be without. Few companies develop a systematic on-boarding
process for their new leaders, even though this is a critical function with
major organizational implications. Michael Watkinss The First 90 Days
provides a powerful framework and strategies that will enable new leaders
to take charge quickly. It is an invaluable tool for that most vulnerable time-
the transition. -Goli Darabi, Senior Vice President, Corporate Leadership
& Succession Management, Fidelity Investments Every job-private- or
public-sector, civilian or military-has its breakeven point, and everyone can
accelerate their learning. Read this book at least twice: once before your
next transition-before getting caught up in the whirl and blur of new faces,
names, acronyms, and issues; then read it again after youve settled in,
and consider how to accelerate transitions for your next new boss and for
those who come to work for you. -Colonel Eli Alford, U.S. Army Watkins
provides an excellent road map, telling us what all new leaders need to
know and do to accelerate their learning and success in a new role. The
First 90 Days should be incorporated into every companys leadership
development strategy, so that anyone making a transition in an
organization can get up to speed quicker and smarter. -Suzanne M.
Danielle, Director of Global Leadership Development, Aventis Michael
Watkins has nailed a huge corporate problem and provided the solution in
one fell swoop. The pressure on new leaders to hit the ground running has
never been greater, and the likelihood and cost of failure is escalating.
Watkinss timing with The First 90 Days is impeccable. -Gordon Curtis,
Principal, Curtis Consulting The First 90 Days is a must-read for
entrepreneurs. Anyone whos been the CEO of a start-up or early-stage
company knows that you go through many 90-day leadership transitions in
the course of a companys formative years. In this groundbreaking book,
Michael Watkins provides crucial insights, as well as a toolkit of
techniques, to enable you to accelerate through these transitions
successfully. -Mike Kinkead, President and CEO, timeBLASTER
Corporation, serial entrepreneur, and Cofounder and Trustee,
Massachusetts Software Council
Personal Review: The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies
for New Leaders at All Levels by Michael Watkins
I spent longer reading this book than intended because it was kidnapped
half of the time by a friend of mine who is a recruiter. She picked it up while
at my house and felt intriqued enough to borrow it for 5 days.
That actually wound up not being a bad thing because we were both able
to discuss the book from two differing viewpoints. However, I'll start by
saying SHE was so enamored with it that she is now "gifting" a new book
to each candidate she places in a position.
That says more than I can!
For me, although I am not going into any NEW position of leadership, it still
is one of the best motivational guides to success at any level, or in any job,

that I've come acress. And I like to stay ahead of the curve in
learning...While not all the thoughts are so new that they are
groundbreaking, many of them are and EVERY one of them is important
and does alight an awakening in work ethic and success.
A very important one, we both agreed, is that what you have done in the
past doesn't make you a success...it's what you do now. For someone in a
new job transition who goes in with the belief that their past gives them
credibility,it matters more what you are doing now for this company and
that is the premise of the book. (And that can be said even for someone
currently in a position that they want to KEEP in this economy rather than
someone's first 90 days in a job. It's never too late to be who you might
have been!)
He highlights some strong points throughout the book on making yourself
your own PR manager, so to speak, in standing out in your position.
Brilliant.
Think Survivor. Form an alliance as well. The book is not all about what
YOU do to reach success and standing out. He also gives excellent
thoughts on how to influence others while also drawing together a support
team of the RIGHT people.
Don't be afraid of change...much of his advice is empowering and thought
provoking on making things work and not merely finding success in a
workplace that remains status quo. (It's about being "better than" rather
than "just as good".) That may mean making some changes within the
company sometimes. He discusses developing systems and studying the
innerworkings of a company in order to find further routes to success even
if they need reworking.
Watkins also has great advice on not only how to best work with your
superiors, but critical conversations needed with them in the beginning of
the transition.
This is a book about building credibiltiy quickly and this is critical...finding
those openings where you shine and gain recognition, and how.
In my opinion, this is an "Aha!" eye opening read for anyone entering a
new realm in their career somewhere new or simply being promoted.
Because such a time is a time of shaky ground that DOES need an
instruction manual. I will be rereading it should I (God forbid) ever find
myself in a new position, but I'm already utilizing methods in my
CURRENT career. Dont feel it's relegated to just the first 90 days of a job
although that is it's focus; you will gain enough knowledge in the book to
make it a worthwhile read as a leader even if you are in the first 590 days
of a career of leadership!

It's also an excellent gift to give someone entering a new job. It's like
holding their hand and putting a mental fire under them to climb higher in
ways that seem sure to enable success.
Conclusion: A great "how to" guide to successful leadership and putting an
instant fire under your feet if entering a new job. A great gift of knowledge
to a college grad as well. However, it's tips are just as helpful for any
leader at any level of their job. Well written, with a subject that COULD be
stuffy and boring, instead being enlightening and thought provoking via an
excellent and knowledgeable author.
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