Navigate your first 100 days on a new job with ease

Any senior level role comes with additional complexity, responsibility, accountability and a lot of ambiguity. In this article I’ll share some insights on how you can navigate your first 100 days as a manager so they’re productive, rewarding and fun! I also deliberately leaned towards simplicity as opposed to heavy ‘Leadership program’ jargon (I am a huge advocate of these programs by the way!) – but sometimes the basics are what we need as we chart a new path.

The first 100 days is a time for exploration—not jumping in with both feet.

In your first 100 days, you’ll need to learn as much as you can about the company and the team. You’re also going to want to get a good sense of how your role fits into the overall operations of the company. This is especially true if you’re coming from outside of your new employer’s industry—you’ll have plenty of questions about how things work around here!

It’s not just about learning facts; it’s about understanding what motivates people on your team and in leadership positions, so you can anticipate their needs and build rapport with them. This can be challenging if there are cultural differences between where you’ve come from and where you are now working (i.e., one workplace may be more informal than another).

One of your first priorities is to establish trust, and one way to do that is by being vulnerable.

You may be thinking, “But I’m the new kid—I don’t have anything to share.” Or perhaps you think that sharing your story will make you vulnerable and weak. But in fact, one of your first priorities is to establish trust with others—and one way to do that is by being vulnerable.

You can share something as simple as what you are learning or something more personal like your feelings on an issue. This makes you human, relatable and approachable, which will help people know they can count on you when they need advice or guidance.

 

Come ready to learn

It’s important to be open to learning from your team. If they have a suggestion, consider giving it a try. If you don’t have time to implement it right away, take note of the idea and revisit it later. Your team members know their jobs and the environment better than you do, so they can provide valuable insight into how to improve your workflows or help you identify potential issues before they become problems. Importantly, your team can also help you make key connections within the company  – this will enable you to build your network fast.

I also recommend being willing and eager to learn from your mistakes—this is an opportunity for personal growth! Some people are afraid of making mistakes because they feel like it will hurt their careers or make them look bad in front of others. But I would argue that fear of failure leads us down a path where we might not take risks necessary for success, which means we may miss out on opportunities along the way.

Be willing instead to:

• accept responsibility when things go wrong;
• reflect on what happened;
• get feedback from other people who were involved;
• then try again with different strategies next time around until things go well!

It’s important too that you’re open-minded about new ideas and processes, even if they sound foreign at first. You can evaluate their effectiveness as you go along.

Stay close to your team

In the first 100 days, it’s important to stay in touch with your team. This is an area where you can gain a lot of credibility and trust quickly by asking for their help and advice early on, even if it’s on something that initially seems small. You want to know how they are doing, what they think you could be doing better and how things are going in their lives. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or like there is too much on your plate, ask them for help. It’s also a good idea to have an open-door policy during this period so that if they are having issues within the company or need support or other resources, they can come talk to you about it.

The most important thing in this time period is to build your leadership base

Your first 100 days is a time of tremendous opportunity, but it’s also an important time to get your bearings and establish trust among your team. Your goal at this stage should be to define the problem, set goals for yourself, and ensure that they’re realistic. You may feel overwhelmed by what might be happening around you, but don’t worry too much about other people’s expectations or goals for their roles in the organization. Focus on defining what success looks like for you (and your team) in terms of tangible goals.

Once you’ve set these goals and established a baseline level of trust with those who work with you, there are certain things that will help keep things moving along smoothly during this period:

• Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek advice from your team members (co-workers and boss).
• Take time to get to know your team. Building relationships with your colleagues is an important part of building trust within the organization, so don’t be shy about getting to know them on a personal level over lunch or after work drinks!
• Don’t be afraid of admitting when you don’t know something—but do take this as an opportunity to learn! Asking questions can also show that you’re eager and motivated about learning more about the company culture, operations, and processes, which is key for long-term success in any role

Take care of yourself too!

It is critical that you take care of yourself—and not just because you deserve it! This phase is fraught with pressure and stress – some self-imposed due to our innate desire to excel especially in a new environment.

Managers who take time for themselves are more productive in the long run, so find ways to relax outside of work and make sure you’re getting enough sleep each night. Be kind to yourself; extend the level of empathy and compassion to yourself as you would to a new member in your team.

Day 100 and beyond are when you get the chance to truly shine.

Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, you’ll be ready to show off your true colors. You can really make an impact on the business, make a difference for those around you and show leadership by setting an example with your actions. The best part is that from here on out, everything is up to you! It’s all about doing what’s right and what works best for your team—not just following orders blindly or falling into old habits because they’re familiar.

Finally, remember that day 100 and beyond are when everything really starts to shine: You’ve done a lot by this point but now’s when all those skills will start paying off as they come together more naturally than ever before.

By the time you reach day 100, having weathered that first stretch in a new role, you probably feel like a pro. But don’t get cocky just yet—you still have to make sure your next 100 days are just as successful, if not more so than this one.

Take a deep breath and congratulate yourself for getting through this first period with flying colors. Even if you feel you have missed some opportunities and it was not smooth sailing, focus on the lessons you learned and the growth this afforded you. Now you can chart the next 100 days armed with insights and the power of hindsight to tackle any challenge you face. 

Our flagship program: Lead with Impact – Make your first 100 days count, is a transformational coaching journey you can embark on to set yourself up for success early on.