Dashboard
Your 30-60-90-day plan as a new manager
Making the Leap: A Strategic Guide to Your First 90 Days as a Manager.
Arjun Rajkumar
October 26, 2024
Landed a new manager position? Congratulations! Here’s how to plan for your first days in the role.
That moment of stepping into an engineering manager role can feel like drinking from a fire hose. Between getting to know team members, understanding the tech stack, and navigating company politics, new managers need a structured approach to avoid drowning in the complexity. A well-crafted 30-60-90-day plan can be the difference between floating and sinking during this crucial transition.
Why Every New Manager Needs a 30-60-90-Day Plan
Think of a 30-60-90-day plan as a personal roadmap through the chaos of transition. It's not just another corporate document—it's a north star when everything feels overwhelming. Take the case of a senior engineer moving from Microsoft's JavaScript Cloud Advocacy team to managing multiple teams: having a structured plan helped maintain focus on what truly mattered instead of getting lost in the daily whirlwind.
Crafting Your Success Blueprint: Six Essential Strategies
1. Start with the Big Picture
Before diving into the details, new managers should ask themselves: "What does success look like in this role?" The answer shapes the entire plan. Sometimes a team needs technical leadership; other times, they need someone to bridge gaps with product teams. Understanding this fundamental "why" becomes the foundation for all planning.
2. Make Goals SMART
Transform vague intentions into concrete actions. Rather than "improve team communication," commit to "implement bi-weekly team retrospectives by month two" or "establish monthly cross-functional sync meetings with three key partner teams." Specific goals create clear targets and measurable progress.
3. Become an Information Sponge
The first few weeks offer a unique opportunity—new managers have the perfect excuse to ask questions that might seem obvious later. Keeping a running document of questions and insights proves invaluable for spotting patterns and understanding unwritten rules. Those OKRs and roadmaps? They're treasure maps to understanding the new territory.
4. Build a Network Intentionally
Every conversation in those first 90 days is an opportunity to build a support network. Smart managers spend time researching each person before meeting them—their background, projects, and interests. This preparation helps forge genuine connections beyond just work discussions. Some of the most valuable relationships start with discovering shared interests outside of tech.
5. Stay Flexible
A plan should be a living document, not a straitjacket. Experience shows that about 60% of original plans survive contact with reality—and that's perfectly fine. The value lies more in the thinking process than in rigid execution. Regular bi-weekly reviews help adjust to the rapidly shifting landscape of tech.
6. Align with Leadership
The direct manager is the most important ally in this journey. Successful transitions always include dedicated sessions to review plans together. Many new managers learn this lesson the hard way after spending weeks focused on one area, only to discover their manager had different priorities in mind.
A Framework to Get Started
Here's a practical template based on real-world successes. Every team and company is unique, so adapt accordingly.
High-Priority Goals
- Build meaningful 1:1 relationships with each team member
- Establish clear communication channels with peer managers
- Deliver quick wins in the first quarter
Common Challenges to Watch For
- Unclear team priorities
- Recent team changes or departures
- Technical debt vs. new feature development balance
Why Every New Manager Needs a 30-60-90-Day Plan
Think of a 30-60-90-day plan as a personal roadmap through the chaos of transition. It's not just another corporate document—it's a north star when everything feels overwhelming. Take the case of a senior engineer moving from Microsoft's JavaScript Cloud Advocacy team to managing multiple teams: having a structured plan helped maintain focus on what truly mattered instead of getting lost in the daily whirlwind.
Crafting Your Success Blueprint: Six Essential Strategies
1. Start with the Big Picture
Before diving into the details, new managers should ask themselves: "What does success look like in this role?" The answer shapes the entire plan. Sometimes a team needs technical leadership; other times, they need someone to bridge gaps with product teams. Understanding this fundamental "why" becomes the foundation for all planning.
2. Make Goals SMART
Transform vague intentions into concrete actions. Rather than "improve team communication," commit to "implement bi-weekly team retrospectives by month two" or "establish monthly cross-functional sync meetings with three key partner teams." Specific goals create clear targets and measurable progress.
3. Become an Information Sponge
The first few weeks offer a unique opportunity—new managers have the perfect excuse to ask questions that might seem obvious later. Keeping a running document of questions and insights proves invaluable for spotting patterns and understanding unwritten rules. Those OKRs and roadmaps? They're treasure maps to understanding the new territory.
4. Build a Network Intentionally
Every conversation in those first 90 days is an opportunity to build a support network. Smart managers spend time researching each person before meeting them—their background, projects, and interests. This preparation helps forge genuine connections beyond just work discussions. Some of the most valuable relationships start with discovering shared interests outside of tech.
5. Stay Flexible
A plan should be a living document, not a straitjacket. Experience shows that about 60% of original plans survive contact with reality—and that's perfectly fine. The value lies more in the thinking process than in rigid execution. Regular bi-weekly reviews help adjust to the rapidly shifting landscape of tech.
6. Align with Leadership
The direct manager is the most important ally in this journey. Successful transitions always include dedicated sessions to review plans together. Many new managers learn this lesson the hard way after spending weeks focused on one area, only to discover their manager had different priorities in mind.
A Framework to Get Started
Here's a practical template based on real-world successes. Every team and company is unique, so adapt accordingly.
High-Priority Goals
- Build meaningful 1:1 relationships with each team member
- Establish clear communication channels with peer managers
- Deliver quick wins in the first quarter
Common Challenges to Watch For
- Unclear team priorities
- Recent team changes or departures
- Technical debt vs. new feature development balance
The Path Forward
Those first 90 days set the tone for the entire tenure as an engineering manager. While no plan can predict every challenge, having a solid foundation makes all the difference. The confidence that comes from clear direction enables more effective leadership from day one.
The most successful transitions happen when new managers strike the right balance between structured planning and flexibility. Technical skills might secure the role, but navigating relationships and organizational dynamics ultimately drives success.