Michael Watkins' "The First 90 Days" is ostensibly about improving a transition into a new leadership role and accelerating the typical 6.2 month break-even point of giving more value to the organization than received. Each chapter focuses on one of ten key transition strategies.

"Promote Yourself" and "Secure Early Wins" are all about the short-term but important goal of quickly establishing credibility. In "Accelerate Your Learning", Watkins goes about convincing us there are special, institutional and culture things we need to learn.

In "Match Strategy to Situation", the author expounds on an earlier proposition that failure is never just about the flaws of a new leader, but rather the adaptability of that leader's skills to the particular business situation. Watkins introduces the STaRS business lifecycle model which will be a continuing reference point throughout the rest of the book. The STaRS concept is really very simple - match strategy, actions, reactions, etc. to the business situation of the company and department. That situation will determine the degrees to which a leader dials various levers of control. While it is a simple concept, many often miss it, and enter into new roles with preconceived notions and habits from their previous role(s).

The "Negotiate Success" chapter is about managing your boss. There is very good advice here, beginning with taking 100% responsibility for the relationship. All of the insight here is applicable post-transition for an ongoing, successful relationship with your superior.

"Achieve Alignment" discusses balancing strategy, structure, systems, skills and culture. "Build Your Team" offers wisdom on the right moves to make upon inheriting the new team, but much of the advice will be invaluable for managing them for the duration. The chapter contains a model for a decision making strategy within the team, noting different types of decisions call for different styles.

"Create Coalitions" counsels the manager to reach out beyond their reporting chain and build relationship capital before they need it. Every organization has its shadow structure of informal networks of influence and power. There is also good analysis on choice shaping, entanglement strategies and building momentum.

"Keep Your Balance" offers some final advice about balancing all the previous strategies and maintaining self-discipline both in your professional and personal life. Watkins then spends the last chapter or two advocating industry and organizational attention to the transition phase of leadership, but the value for the reader/manager is to consider how their new direct reports will manage their transition.

Most of the chapters contain a "common traps" section which I found really effective for identifying where I personally had wandered off the path of best practices. Sometimes defining what you should not do is more enlightening than the original advice of what you should do. Each chapter ends with an "acceleration checklist", which I first thought were summary questions typical of text books, but upon actually reading found they stimulate further thought. Most chapters also begin with a short case study, which while valuable for an introduction, could have been expounded upon and used more effectively.

Watkins' says this goal of the 90 day transition is to "build momentum by creating virtuous cycles that build credibility and avoiding getting caught in vicious cycles that damage credibility." But the advice and strategies put forth in his book go far beyond the initial entry into the role and are applicable to general, ongoing management and leadership. The main flaw of "The First 90 Days" is its dry, academic presentation. It's hard to get through and easy to get impatient and skim past some really good insight. Watkins may be a career professor, and may write like one as well, but his insight does reflect command over cultural and political nuances of leadership that one usually only discovers by living through it over a career.

We utilize this book in one of our leadership programs.

I would advise that you purchase it anywhere...except Amazon.

We made two attempts ordering a sizeable quantity of the book - both orders went astray. The first arrived nearly a month after the promised ship date. The second order has yet to arrive, 5 weeks later.

Yes, credit was prompty issued, once requested. But, if your relying on a product to help your business, you'll want to look at another business partner.

This is a well written guide with a quite a few useful tips. It is well worth the purchase price.

I purchased this book in concert with a promotion thinking it might be useful during my transition. While it was informative and on point, most of its lessons were obvious to any seasoned leader and frankly it was a very dry read.

If you are new to management or have not had much developmental time in improving your management skill this book will be valuable to you. Leadership ? I could recommend a number of better books for the first 90 days...

I purchased this book in concert with a promotion thinking it might be useful during my transition. While it was informative and on point, most of its lessons were obvious to any seasoned leader and frankly it was a very dry read.

If you are new to management or have not had much developmental time in improving your management skill this book will be valuable to you. Leadership ? I could recommend a number of better books for the first 90 days...

The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins is squarely aimed at the task of a manager coming in and dealing with a new team. Those first ninety days can really make or break a business relationship and it is well worth studying this information before you take on a new job.

Michael breaks down your task into these discreet steps: promote yourself, accelerate your learning, match your strategy to your situation, get early wins, negotiate success, achieve an alignment, build your team, create coalitions, keep your balance and expedite everyone. Each step gets its own discussion so you get a handle on how to succeed in each area.

New hires are often swamped with "learning things" - Michael helps you balance that learning with actually doing productive work. That way people feel energized by your being there and get a sense of your promise.

Even if you're moving up in the same organization or taking on new responsibilities a lot of these issues are still important. You want to maintain solid boundaries - otherwise you'll get angry and resentful at people taking advantage of you. You want to admit errors quickly so you're not thought of as rigid and undependable. You want to proactively deal with problems instead of avoiding them, manage your stress so you don't burn out, and have a support system to keep you going.

There are a few "real life" style examples in the book, but it primarily is laid out like a textbook to learn and study. While some might find this difficult to read, it is well worth treating a new job LIKE an important test you want to study for. You may not get a letter grade - but your job success is probably far more vital than any random chemistry exam ever was.

Yes, some of this might seem like "common sense" - but after all, many bosses fail. They just don't understand all the aspects of their job. It is well worth reading through this even if you know 8 out of 10 things listed. Getting a good handle on the remaining two might be the difference between success and failure.

This book offers a good overview and framework for how best to approach the "first 90 days" in a new role. Different strategies and tactics are presented based on different job scenarios (e.g. start-up versus established company).

I found this book useful as a reference for areas of focus, and overall process, in the context of a new role. The only drawback, in my opinion, to this publication is some non-critical material interspersed throughout the book.

The central points and frameworks are found in various parts of the book and some of the supporting material is not critical to conveying the meaningful and useful messages of the book.

Extra content notwithstanding, this is a good book for anyone taking on a new role or working with others transitioning into a new role.

I used the book for coaching C level/mid level executives at their new jobs. I also had some of them read the book. The book works. Its simple, concise and focused on getting you through the first 90 days at your new job and leveraging the most of your situation. If applied properly the principles depicted in the book will help your career. Good job Watkins. Jim Kayalar is a Certified Management Consultant with the Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC-USA) with 20 plus years of experience in a myriad of industries. Jim Kayalar is the managing director and founder of Business Tune Up.

Clear and concise action plan. Helps you think before just jumping in and running in circles.

Good idea, looks good on book shelf in office :) But lost interest after 1st chapter...

This book is in a long tradition of 'expanded' magazine articles. There's more than enough content for an outstanding journal article, but when the concept is turned into a book, it's a bit thin. A least this example of the genre hasn't been hopelessly padded, so it gets one star for having some good ideas, a star for not wasting its readers' time (presumably more valuable in this context than the few dollars they spend on the book), a half star for not pretending to be more than it is (i.e., no claim to being the 30 second solution to all the problems any executive has ever had or will have) and a half star for being a fair value proposition.
Incidentally, I gave a copy of this book to my son (he's a couple of years out of college and had just received his first promotion at a General Electric subsidiary) and his reaction was that its really intended for managers a few years further into their careers. I think he's right.

I love "How to" books and this one should be a required part of every onboarding program for professionals and managers. It really lays out a road map for early success on a new job. A great ongoing resource for you or your organization.

Like all management books there is fluff that detractors can point to. I bought this before assuming a new job and in a new company. I felt that it helped, and I spent less than twenty bucks. Now, that's a deal.

As a keen student of new manager behaviour always on the lookout for new ideas, I picked up "The First 90 Days" with great anticipation. Michael Watkins sets out to provide new managers (he calls them "leaders") with a 90 day plan for taking over in a new role. There's lots to recommend this book. There's also lots to question.

In "The First 90 Days", the author stresses the importance of building momentum during the critical transition phase from new manager to successful manager. A 90 day acceleration plan is suggested that includes 10 transition challenges ranging from "promote yourself" through "score early wins", to "expedite everyone". One needs to look further than the title of these challenges as they are often more than what they seem. For example, "promote yourself" has more to do with changing your perspective to fit the new role rather than self-promotion.

I particularly liked some of the practical tips included in this book, such as the "Problem Preferences Assessment" which enables the new manager to quickly select the most appropriate and rewarding problem areas to address. Also a suggestion to write yourself a letter as if you had been in the role for three years describing what others said about your success in the role, is a nice way to set a broad vision for the new manager. Chapter 5 "Negotiate Success", which is all about managing your boss through the 90 day plan, is worth the price of this book alone.

I have three areas of criticism. Firstly, whilst the book has a fantastic array of suggestions, strategies, tips etc, I feel it would take more than 90 days to implement them all, let alone do the work that is required in the role. As such, it would make a great text for students of management, but could overwhelm the new manager looking for some quick or directed advice.

Secondly, although the author stresses otherwise, the book seems more suited to upper level roles than first line supervisors. For example, Chapter 6 "Achieve Alignment", looks at quite a sophisticated process of crafting strategy, assessing coherence, assessing adequacy and modifying strategy.

Finally, I'd like to see more positive case studies to illustrate rather than the "what went wrong" scenarios provided in a number of chapters. Although in real life, we often learn more from our mistakes, in a teaching role (such as this book) it is far more effective for the reader if he or she can see what works and implement this, rather than what doesn't.

I would recommend this book as an excellent text for management students and a resource for management teachers/educators. If you're a reading "The First 90 Days", then go straight to the practical "How to" areas, otherwise your 90 days will be up before you finish reading. (New managers might like to check out What To Do When You Become The Boss: How new managers become successful managers OR 50 DOs for Everyday Leadership: Practical Lessons Learned the Hard Way (So You Don't Have To)

Nothing earth-shattering, but a great book that helps you focus on what you need to do to succeed in your new job -- things to think about, things to do, thinks to be weary of, and thinks not to do. A great guide to motivate you to develop a plan, rather than hapharzadly start your new job.

I was unable to finish this book because of how bland and boring it was. I expected to get some good general information about becoming a leader, but it is so specific about moving to a new leadership position from a previous leadership position that little of it was useful. It reminded me of trying to read my old high school textbooks.

I tried to read this book. I hate, hate, hated it. It was dry, boring and uninspiring. I much preferred First Time Manager by Loren Belker and Gary Topchik. I know this book has a lot of positive reviews, but it failed to capture my attention.

Darwinian, or sink or swim transition management is a poor strategy for developing leaders. Michael Watkins proposes the 'STaRS' model, which translated into four situations: sustaining success, turnaround, realignment, and start-up. Matching right strategy to each situation is key. How you position yourself with the team, with your boss, and even your own mental self will make or break or your career. The author walks through all of these steps offering numerous examples and great commentary - this book will not guarantee success, but it may well relieve some of the stress associated with the transition.

It just makes sense, and is very thorough. Many things I would not have thought about, or gotten around to thinking about - we live in such a fast paced world that it would have been a challenge to do. Luckily, I had a cross country trip, so this gave me the time to read this book and compile my "list" of notes and apply them to my upcoming job change. Bottom line - many good new perspectives that I simply would not have thought of. Highly recommended.

As a human resources professional, I have seen a great deal of management transition. Many succeed but some do not. Unfortunately for our people and our organizations those that do not leave a stream of damage in their wake.

Recently I wrote a review about Scott Eblin's, "The Next Level" and I called it a real disappointment. This book is not and it is a far more actionable and practical approach to managing transitions.

One of the reasons this book is so practical is that each section not only provides you with clear direction but each section also ends with an action checklist. This make creating a 90-day transition plan doable and improves your prospects for success.

Lastly, the steps from this book create a framework that a company can use to create a "transition strategy" for all its new and upwardly moving managers. This alone will enable a firm to increase their odds that a new hire or promotion will be in the "win" column.

I only ordered this for a superior and he is VERY VERY happy with the book...he asked for it by name so we ordered three copies! Thank you for the great service you provide.

Great book for all business leaders who are advancing to a new role or coming from the outside into an organization. Simple, easy to read with pertinent lessons for a successful transition.

We bought this book along with the "New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan" and read them side by side.

Pro:
-"STaRS" concept is excellent. Start-ups, Turnarounds, Realignments and Sustaining success are all different scenarios that you might be thrown into, and the environment you join directly affects what you need to do.
-Checklists are helpful, when available, to boil thoughts down to the most essential elements
-There are many good tips interspersed throughout the book that are good reminders of the basics you need to adhere to in order to be successful
-Breaks the "sink or swim mindset" often associated with starting a new position

Con:
-Does not really address the time opportunity BEFORE you start a job and in my experience is a major lost opportunity that I've been able to surprise and delight. Set up pre-meetings, arranging for email/phone and a place to sit, etc. as a chance to listen and learn without the pressure to perform. Any items that can/should be done ahead of time appear to me as afterthoughts, underdeveloped, and often out of sequence in this text.
-Would not serve as a handy reference... better chapter summaries and a stronger introduction with time lines and meaty chapter outline would have been helpful both now and in the future
-I think that many good concepts like "STaRS" were underdeveloped or under leveraged... I sense more detail that was perhaps omitted
-To me, many of the illustrations were filler and did not offer additional information
-Sometimes poor or awkward word choice or idea sequence (e.g. rather than "Promote Yourself" why not just call it "Prepare Yourself" as this is what you are really saying, so why not just say it that way?)
-Real life examples were unnecessarily detailed, consuming time and space that I think could be better used by the author as he's clearly brilliant and has some great observations
-I think that the scope is too narrow, picks up after you've started the job (day 1) and neglects the opportunity (and chaos) beforehand of the interview, moving, doing "pre-work" to get your basics at work set-up

Bottom line: While there were some interesting moments, I was disappointed. The book does offer several cautionary tales of CEOs who crashed and burned, and if nothing else serves as both warning and motivation to be smarter about your transition.

We bought this book along with the "New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan" and read them side by side.

Pro:
-"STaRS" concept is excellent. Start-ups, Turnarounds, Realignments and Sustaining success are all different scenarios that you might be thrown into, and the environment you join directly affects what you need to do.
-Checklists are helpful, when available, to boil thoughts down to the most essential elements
-There are many good tips interspersed throughout the book that are good reminders of the basics you need to adhere to in order to be successful
-Breaks the "sink or swim mindset" often associated with starting a new position

Con:
-Does not really address the time opportunity BEFORE you start a job and in my experience is a major lost opportunity that I've been able to surprise and delight. Set up pre-meetings, arranging for email/phone and a place to sit, etc. as a chance to listen and learn without the pressure to perform. Any items that can/should be done ahead of time appear to me as afterthoughts, underdeveloped, and often out of sequence in this text.
-Would not serve as a handy reference... better chapter summaries and a stronger introduction with time lines and meaty chapter outline would have been helpful both now and in the future
-I think that many good concepts like "STaRS" were underdeveloped or under leveraged... I sense more detail that was perhaps omitted
-To me, many of the illustrations were filler and did not offer additional information
-Sometimes poor or awkward word choice or idea sequence (e.g. rather than "Promote Yourself" why not just call it "Prepare Yourself" as this is what you are really saying, so why not just say it that way?)
-Real life examples were unnecessarily detailed, consuming time and space that I think could be better used by the author as he's clearly brilliant and has some great observations

Bottom line: While there were some interesting moments, I was disappointed. The book does offer several cautionary tales of CEOs who crashed and burned, and if nothing else serves as both warning and motivation to be smarter about your transition.

This is a very good book and I would recommend it to anyone taking on a new role. I found it to be clear and has some very useful advice about dealing with your new boss and reports, and what kind of mind-set to adopt. very useful. I gave it only 4 stars however because at the end of the book he touts all the great resources you will find at [...] that you can use and share to get everyone on the same page. Well, there are no resources there that I could find (except to purchase more of his books). I was very disappointed, enough to feel it takes away from the book.

This book is a must read for anyone starting a new corporate job, especially if you manage people. The recommendations aren't rocket science but they are very useful. Moreover, the book provides an actionable framework that you can actually apply when you start a new role/job. The chapters on assessing the situation, aligning with your boss and evaluating your team are very useful in creating your own 90 day plan. The book is well-written and a quick read...you won't regret the investment!

This book gave me a good framework when I started my new job. We all want to have a solid strategy but often fall short. I highly recommend this book to anyone starting in a new organization or moving up in their existing one.

This book is a must read for anyone starting a new corporate job, especially if you manage people. The recommendations aren't rocket science but they are very useful. Moreover, the book provides an actionable framework that you can actually apply when you start a new role/job. The chapters on assessing the situation, aligning with your boss and evaluating your team are very useful in creating your own 90 day plan. The book is well-written and a quick read...you won't regret the investment!

Excellent publication for new leader.

The ideas and strategies presented in this book are very powerful. I've had numerous transitions in my career, some with Fortune 500 companies, and the tools in this book would have been incredibly useful. No companies I worked for have provided any transition guidance, regardles of size and resources. Unfortunately it's always been 'sink or swim'.

If you have a job or position change in the offing, this book is a must!

This book offers excellent advise for someone moving into a leadership role. It explains the importance of a strategy and plan in ensuring success as you transition from an individual contributor to a leader. Some of the skills and traits that made us successful previously may not be beneficial in our new role. We need to know what to keep and what to let go. This book offers a practical plan on what to focus on during the "first 90 days" in your new job. I recommend reading this book PRIOR to moving into a leadership position.

Very good book to read when transitioning into a new leadership situation at any level. Lots of good ideas laid out in a clear/structured manner.

This is a must read for anyone taking on a new position or being promoted. I highly recommend this book along with the authors' latest on negotiation.

Practical, easy read, good information for new and seasoned managers...

It is all to easy in a new job to launch in with what we think are clear mandates, work with vigor and enthusiasm to turn them into plans that we think will benefit the company and the people who work for us only to realize that the glittering darkness at the end of our launch silo is not a starry night sky but a wall embedded with wreckage to which we will shortly add. "The First 90 Days..." explains the challenges that we can encounter, which are most likely for each of four types of situations, and what we can do to keep them from becoming bricks in that wall.

I won't make another job move without re-reading this book and analyzing the new situation as it suggests. It provides a good framework for understanding the type of situations one can move into. It has checklists of things to focus on and questions to ask by situation type and time frame starting before the first day and on through the first 90 days. I particularly liked the "Conversations to have with your new boss". Not only does Watkins describe the things that we as newcomers and our bosses need to have a clear understanding of but he provides a framework of several conversations and how and when to initiate them in order to facilitate the understanding. I highly recommend it for any position change.

Good reference for both new leaders in their first 90 days, and for companies who should take a look at their onboarding and personal development processes.

I'd like to give a copy of this book to every newly promoted, transferred, or incoming supervisor. It is an excellent reminder of what is important in establishing rapport, communication, and direction at the outset.

Super book to remind you of how important those first 90 days are on a new job (changed responsibilities) or in a new company. This has very helpful charts and chapter summaries. Nice to just jump to the index and than to a specific chapter, well formated and packed with good advice.

This book does a great job at simplifying and getting to the core issues of being in a new position. All of the suggestions in the book are common sense, but most likely things you'd overlook when taking a new job. The author uses great examples from people at all levels. I highly recommend this book to anyone in a new position, whether you are a first time teamlead or a new CEO.

This is a very valuable book. The author collected many data of executives and concluded that the first 90 days are crucial. He also proposed strtegies to manage this period so that you can build a momentum during the process. You need the momentum to carry you forward!

Something like this is a fine reminder to reset and properly engage in a new position. I found it helpful although not radically innovative. If you are simply looking for a nice reminder/guide of how to approach a new position, I would recommend it, just don't expect too much.

As an executive recruiter, this is an excellent book for insights on starting the new job. As the executives who I place can tell you, every new job situation is different and canned formulas don't always work. I highly recommend combining this book with "Sudden Impact on the Job" by Susan Quandt - it's a powerful tandem. Quandt gets at the varied contexts under which new executives start their jobs by sharing the real-life stories of many prominent CEOs' experiences on the new job.

It is not a book focus on "managing career transmission" as suggested by the title of the book. Actually it is the guide book on all management related topics on management effeciveness, leadership, negotiation and organizational behavior. Very clearly articulated, easy to read and down to earth. Another excellent example of Harvard's high intellegence assets.

My husband took the book out from the library for me and after reading the first few chapters I decided that this was a book to own. As you will keep going back to re-read the roadmap to help you on your new venture(s).
Very insightful for all levels not just C-Level positions.

It doesn't matter what level of the organization your new leadership role is in - from project supervisor to CEO - every promotion brings a period of transition, the need for new skills and a set of new expectations, challenges and opportunities. Just because you've been successful in one leadership role, you can't assume that your old strategy will automatically succeed in your new role. It probably won't.

Take an analytical approach. Diagnose the situation and adapt your strategy to it. Michael Watkins' book tells you exactly how. If you will soon begin - or have already begun - a new leadership role, this book is an invaluable resource to help you map out your strategy, get on your boss's good side and accelerate your transition. Watkins provides fundamental information for anyone who wants to become a leader and stay on top, because he teaches you how to make a successful transition when your time comes. We recommend this excellent book to any leader at any level who is going through or embarking on a period of transition into a new role. Here's how to help make the transition more successful, faster and easier - on your staff, your boss and

Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

Sound, practical advice for anyone climbing the corporate ladder. Great exercises and guidelines for conversations with new bosses as well as new underlings. Great help for those first 90 days and beyond.

The book is splendid and is essential for any new manager. It will also enhance the managerial and leadership life of any progressive manager regardless of experience. I would promote this book and/or the CD set to any organisation that really wants organisational development to be enhanced.

Watkins' success with this book is in my view based on the simplicity, clarity, and sensible structure of his model. The model and supporting tools and concepts may or may not be grounded in behavioral science or perhaps even in extensive research that would pass muster with the sternest of psychometricians, but no matter - they'll work if you apply them with rigor and flexibility.

That's the thing about leadership books and leadership itself, isn't it? If you can wade through the many paradoxes presented by the rigorous yet flexible application of common sense, you'll probably come out on top.

Watkins' work here is awfully strong. This book is highly readable, easily digestible, and provides simple, easy mental models for new leaders to latch on to. I recommend this book strongly to all the newly-promoted and newly-hired managers I encounter, just as it was recommended to me. That's probably the best endorsement possible.

Michael Watkins offers counsel that is relevant to so many, yet is actually a subject of study for so few. In my lifetime I have changed companies no less than four times. Job titles have changed twice than many times.

Preparing for and performing well during times of change accounts for a large part of my career. And I think I am not alone. For those looking for nuggets of assitance in their own transition, this book is for you. But Watkins research is new and still evolving to maturity. Look for more and better things to come from him in the future.

Best about book: exercises and tests give chance for reflection and application to current environment, e.g. the personal problem preference test.

The book provides excellent advices and brilliant resources.
It's very useful and handy for everybody who wants to be succeeded in a business world. It's well-organized book, easy to read.

This book contains important insights for the new leader. I implemented two of the author's suggestions with great success. Easy to read, and practical.