The First 90 Days
by Michael D. Watkins · first published 2003
95% recommend5% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Framework for planning a move into a new role: gather information, build relationships and credibility before proposing changes, and set strategy. Aimed at new managers but useful to anyone changing jobs.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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It sounds like you've taken the most important step, which is appreciating that "what got you here won't get you there". One of my favorite books when stepping into a new role is M. Watkins, "The First 90 Days", which is very helpful in formalizing an effective approach to succeeding quickly when in a new management role. It is worth trying to get some education in people management. While much of it is common-sense,…
on “Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?” ↗Congrats on the transition! I have several books to recommend that I all read are on my bookshelf, some with reviews[1]. YMMV vary but these were the most helpful for me: 1. The First 90 Days - a good reminder that when you transition, it's like starting a new job 2. Become and Effective Software Engineering Manager - a hands-on book for people transitioning to management, starting at a new…
on “Ask HN: What makes a good technical leader – any recommended books?” ↗The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins is an amazing book for anyone getting into management and then again whenever you move roles/companies.
on “Ask HN: Books to read when you transform from SWE into SWE Management?” ↗Indeed. "The First 90 Days"[0] is a great book that provides a framework and techniques for being strategic when starting a new job. 0: http://www.amazon.com/The-First-90-Days-Strategies/dp/159139... edit -- links, how do they…
on “The Sad Truth About Developing Executives” ↗The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz and The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins.
on “Ask HN: Best book / resources on leadership, especially for tech teams?” ↗…you got screwed (if engineers have to be good at business management crap, WTF are business managers for?) but these are, I think, the skills you're looking for here. A good book to read on this is The First 90 Days by Michael Watkins, if you're curious.
on “Ask HN: How to effectively communicate results of my work to non-engineers?” ↗Not specifically for programmers per-se, but the book "The First 90 Days" by Michael Watkins from Harvard Business Review was very valuable for me when switching to a new company when I was still in the corporate world. It's targeted at managers, but I find the situations…
on “Ask HN: What's your advice for the first 90 days on a new job as a programmer?” ↗I like "The first 90 days" by Michael Watkins. It lays out an onboarding strategy that makes sense, with concrete steps. I initially thought that it targets management only, but it'd work for anyone if you consider yourself a…
on “What I wish I knew about onboarding” ↗…Matthews) - Despite the title making me want to vomit, it has a bunch of practical advice about problems you'll encounter at various "stages" of a company, and how to identify what stage you're in. The First 90 Days (Watkins) - Useful if you ever take on a leadership role where the current state of the organization could be described as a "shitshow". Good Strategy / Bad Strategy (Rumelt) - Learn the difference between…
on “Ask HN: What books helped you in your entrepreneurship journey?” ↗…pragmatic point of view that helps to select the things that apply to your situation. Very often, new leaders follow a recipe without paying attention to the organization's problems. (check the book “The First 90 Days” by Watkins; it may give you ideas to organize your initial approach). As someone who went from engineering to product design, I observe that CTOs without a product vision are challenging to work with.…
on “Ask HN: What are good books/blogs to read for a first time CTO?” ↗…I talk about projects and the way I manage my team's various risks and I have been more successful as a result. One final recommendation I'll make, since you're in the midst of a transition, is "The First 90 Days" by Michael Watkins[9]. It's a wonderful book that outlines how and why one should develop a transition plan in order to hit the ground running - and in the right direction. For my last engineering management…
on “Ask HN: Reading for first time managers” ↗'First, Break All the Rules' is a great read. For new managers, I highly reccomend 'The First 90 Days' Remember not to just accept everything in these books. They should be read with the expectation that you will have to pull out the useful pieces that are relevant to you.
on “How To Be A Horrible Boss” ↗…groups several times and there is very little stigma assuming you can get yourself up to speed in a reasonable time frame and you're not, "leaving behind dead bodies". Consider reading a book called, "The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels". It's contents helped me gear my interviews towards how and when I would add value to a new group. I believe that is the key to changing jobs…
on “Ask HN: I've constantly changed companies. Would I be considered unreliable?” ↗…served to handle that. * Check out the Manager Tools podcast and focus on the basics (https://www.manager-tools.com/manager-tools-basics) * The 2 books I got solid, actionable advice from were "The First 90 Days" [1] and "The 27 Challenges Managers Face" [2] [1] https://www.amazon.com/First-90-Days-Strategies-Expanded/dp/... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Challenges-Managers-Face-Step-Step/dp...
on “Ask HN: Going from Developer to Manager. What should I know or learn?” ↗4 Stages of Psychological Safety - when they feel it's safe to communicate, the team trusts each other more and makes unblocking easy. The First 90 Days - good book for planning out any transition to a new role. The Manager's Path - basic primer for leading in tech Accelerate - If you're inclined to measure how well your team does.
on “What is the best resource for learning to lead a software team?” ↗