The first 90 days of any role is critical, especially as a team leader. We often say that the first step up into leadership is the greatest.
During these first three months of your new role a number of elements will require your attention:
1. Getting to know your team. Who are they? What are their roles? How are they connected? what are the priorities for the team? What are the team's strengths - collectively and individually? What is the team known for? What is the greatest untapped advantage for this team.
As the team leader your team is critical. Make sure you spend time getting to know them and learn from them.
2. Getting to know your boss - Developing relationships with your boss is also important. What are their expectations of you? Of the team? What do they see key priorities for the team? For you? What is their perspective on strategic issues facing the team? What are their priorities? How does your work, and the team's work, support their success? How does your leader want to be communicated to? What information is most important for them to have, and WHEN?
3. Developing relationships with your other stakeholders - Developing relationships with other key stakeholders internally and externally is also critical during the first 90 days. Who are these players? What can you learn from them about the team's past successes and history, and what's important as you move forward?
4. Understanding your role and developing skills - As in most transitions there will be some time required to understand your role as well as develop new skills and knowledge - these may be around budgeting, reporting or other technical areas. Make a list as you go around the short term, medium term and long term learning needs you forsee.
5. Identifying a mentor - Mentoring can play a key role in your overall career and leadership success. You may benefit from a formal mentoring program, or this may be the nudge to reach out and establish a mentoring relationship from someone who knows the ropes. Mentors play a key role in understanding how organizations operate, and how things do get done.
What do you see as critical issues in your first 90 days?
During these first three months of your new role a number of elements will require your attention:
1. Getting to know your team. Who are they? What are their roles? How are they connected? what are the priorities for the team? What are the team's strengths - collectively and individually? What is the team known for? What is the greatest untapped advantage for this team.
As the team leader your team is critical. Make sure you spend time getting to know them and learn from them.
2. Getting to know your boss - Developing relationships with your boss is also important. What are their expectations of you? Of the team? What do they see key priorities for the team? For you? What is their perspective on strategic issues facing the team? What are their priorities? How does your work, and the team's work, support their success? How does your leader want to be communicated to? What information is most important for them to have, and WHEN?
3. Developing relationships with your other stakeholders - Developing relationships with other key stakeholders internally and externally is also critical during the first 90 days. Who are these players? What can you learn from them about the team's past successes and history, and what's important as you move forward?
4. Understanding your role and developing skills - As in most transitions there will be some time required to understand your role as well as develop new skills and knowledge - these may be around budgeting, reporting or other technical areas. Make a list as you go around the short term, medium term and long term learning needs you forsee.
5. Identifying a mentor - Mentoring can play a key role in your overall career and leadership success. You may benefit from a formal mentoring program, or this may be the nudge to reach out and establish a mentoring relationship from someone who knows the ropes. Mentors play a key role in understanding how organizations operate, and how things do get done.
What do you see as critical issues in your first 90 days?
Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, PCC
Potentials Realized - Leadership | Teamwork | Coaching Skills Training for Leaders
Supporting Team Leaders One Conversation at a Time(TM)
Teams365 Blog
(416)996-8326
View our 12 minute presentation on the upcoming Teams365 Team Leader Foundations online training, and Coaching Groups starting this fall. Our next Coaching Group starts tonight at 5:45 pm Eastern by phone, and the Teams365 Team Leadership Foundations Modules will be running this fall on Fridays from 7:15 - 8:15 am Eastern/Toronto.
Potentials Realized - Leadership | Teamwork | Coaching Skills Training for Leaders
Supporting Team Leaders One Conversation at a Time(TM)
Teams365 Blog
(416)996-8326
View our 12 minute presentation on the upcoming Teams365 Team Leader Foundations online training, and Coaching Groups starting this fall. Our next Coaching Group starts tonight at 5:45 pm Eastern by phone, and the Teams365 Team Leadership Foundations Modules will be running this fall on Fridays from 7:15 - 8:15 am Eastern/Toronto.
RSS Feed
