A 30 60 90 Day Plan for Managers
When a new CEO takes the helm of a company, they will often take the opportunity to outline an ambitious “100 day” plan that outlines their plans for the company. In fact, some of the most prominent CEOs of the past decade have done so and done it publicly, including:
Marissa Mayer (Former CEO of Yahoo): When Marissa Mayer took on the role of CEO at Yahoo in 2012, she outlined a series of initiatives to revitalize the company. While not explicitly referred to as a 100-day plan, her strategic actions within the first few months of her tenure were widely discussed and analyzed.
Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft): Satya Nadella, upon becoming the CEO of Microsoft in 2014, outlined his priorities in an email to Microsoft employees. He emphasized a focus on innovation, customer-centricity, and the company's culture, setting a direction for his early days as CEO.
Tim Cook (CEO of Apple): When Tim Cook succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple in 2011, he implemented a more collaborative and inclusive leadership style. While not explicitly referred to as a 100-day plan, Cook's early actions focused on strengthening supplier relationships, addressing labor practices, and emphasizing corporate social responsibility.
Why do CEOs use 100 day plans?
CEOs utilize 100-day plans as a strategic framework to guide their initial actions and priorities when assuming a new role. These plans serve several important purposes.
First, they help CEOs establish a clear direction for the organization, defining a vision and strategic goals that align with the company's mission.
Second, the plans accelerate the learning curve, allowing CEOs to quickly understand the intricacies of the business, its culture, and its challenges. This understanding enables informed decision-making and the ability to take immediate action.
Additionally, the plans focus on driving early wins and momentum, identifying quick wins and high-impact initiatives that generate positive momentum and build confidence among stakeholders.
They also provide CEOs an opportunity to assess and align the leadership team, evaluating their capabilities and determining if any adjustments are necessary. Through effective communication, the plans engage and align stakeholders around the CEO's vision and priorities.
Lastly, 100-day plans enable CEOs to demonstrate accountability and progress, establishing key performance indicators and milestones to track progress and ensure the organization remains on track towards its goals.
Overall, 100-day plans provide CEOs with a strategic framework to establish their leadership, align the organization, and drive impactful actions in their early days to set the stage for long-term success.
What can managers learn from this?
While you may not be a CEO there’s a lot you can take away as a manager and apply to your own career as many of the same things apply.
For one, it’s a great way to drive early wins and momentum. While it’s often referred to as a “100 day plan” for CEOs, the 30 60 90 day plan is effectively the same thing just split out into smaller timeframes. A good way to think about it is as small, medium, and big wins.
For example, what small win can you deliver in the first 30 days? What medium win can you deliver in the first 60 days, and ultimately what big win will you deliver in your first 90 days.
Secondly, effective stakeholder engagement and communication are critical for success in any managerial role. Junior managers can learn from the CEO's emphasis on building relationships, engaging stakeholders, and communicating a clear vision. They can prioritize open and transparent communication, actively seek feedback, and establish rapport with team members, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
Thirdly, the importance of strategic thinking and long-term vision. Junior managers can develop their strategic mindset by considering the broader context of their work, understanding how their actions contribute to organizational objectives, and proactively seeking opportunities for innovation and improvement.
How can managers build their own 30 60 90 day plans?
While you sure make sure to tailor your plan to your specific situation and organization, the below are some key areas to consider when crafting your plan:
30-Day Plan
1. Onboarding and Orientation: Spend the first week familiarizing yourself with the organization's culture, policies, and procedures. Meet with key stakeholders, including team members, peers, and senior leaders, to understand their roles and responsibilities.
2. Assess Current Processes: Evaluate existing processes and workflows within your team. Identify areas for improvement, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks. Gather feedback from team members to understand their pain points and challenges.
3. Build Relationships: Establish relationships with your team members, colleagues, and other stakeholders. Schedule one-on-one meetings with each team member to understand their strengths, areas for development, and career aspirations. Foster an environment of trust, open communication, and collaboration.
4. Set Expectations: Clearly communicate your expectations to the team regarding performance, goals, and deadlines. Align individual goals with organizational objectives. Ensure team members have the necessary resources and support to achieve their targets.
5. Identify Quick Wins: Identify and prioritize quick wins that can be achieved within the first 30 days. These could be low-hanging fruit projects, process improvements, or initiatives that will demonstrate your impact and build confidence in your leadership.
60-Day Plan
1. Develop a Strategic Plan: Collaborate with your team and other stakeholders to develop a strategic plan aligned with the organization's vision and goals. Define objectives, key results, and timelines. Ensure each team member understands their role in achieving the plan.
2. Enhance Team Performance: Identify areas where the team can improve performance and productivity. Implement measures such as training, coaching, or process enhancements to address any gaps. Monitor progress and provide constructive feedback to team members regularly.
3. Strengthen Communication: Improve communication channels within the team and across departments. Encourage regular team meetings, feedback sessions, and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Foster a culture of transparency, where information flows freely, and ideas are openly discussed.
4. Develop Relationships with Key Stakeholders: Identify and establish relationships with key stakeholders outside of your team. This could include other department heads, senior leaders, or external partners. Understand their expectations and collaborate on projects or initiatives that require cross-functional cooperation.
5. Monitor Metrics and Progress: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) for your team and regularly monitor progress. Use data-driven insights to identify areas of success and areas that need improvement. Make necessary adjustments to ensure goals are achieved.
90-Day Plan
1. Implement Continuous Improvement Initiatives: Analyze processes and workflows to identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Encourage innovation and creative problem-solving within the team. Implement initiatives such as automation, streamlining workflows, or adopting new technologies to enhance efficiency.
2. Develop Team Members: Invest in the professional growth and development of your team members. Identify their training needs and provide opportunities for skill-building. Delegate challenging assignments that stretch their capabilities and empower them to take ownership of their work.
3. Foster a High-Performance Culture: Create a positive and motivating work environment that encourages high performance and teamwork. Recognize and reward individual and team achievements. Provide constructive feedback and support team members in their career aspirations.
4. Evaluate and Adjust Goals: Evaluate progress against the strategic plan and make any necessary adjustments. Solicit feedback from team members and stakeholders to ensure goals remain relevant and achievable. Communicate updates and refinements to the team.
5. Present Long-Term Vision: Share your long-term vision for the team and articulate how it aligns with the organization's overall strategy. Engage team members in discussions about their role in achieving this vision. Encourage them to contribute their ideas and perspectives.
To build your own, we’ve make this into a Google template that you download: 30 60 90 Day Plan for Managers
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