How you start a new role influences your success in that role
4 immediate actions you can take
Welcome to Level Up: Your source for career growth solutions & community by retired Amazon Vice President, Ethan Evans.
A reader asked:
"What are the top 3-5 things to do in the first 90 days when onboarding in a new role (2nd level engineering manager) at a new company?"
The Straight Truth is: Getting off to a quick, impressive start can set a tone that leads to rapid career growth.
I've seen too many people get categorized as "steady and reliable" and then stuck at a level long-term.
Why does a fast start matter?
Because first impressions are very sticky. When you do well early, people put you into their mental bucket as a "rising star." Many companies even have special programs for "high potential" rising leaders, who get more training, better mentors, and special opportunities. Once you are on such a career track it tends to be self-reinforcing.
Those who start more slowly may create solid results over time, but only after they are mentally categorized as "solid" performers who are not "fast track."
Like most "Straight Truths" I am neither saying that this pattern is absolute nor it should be this way, only that it often is. Humans form mental shortcuts, and first impressions are one of those shortcuts. Once the impression is set, the "fast starter" can perform the same as the "slower starter," but those subsequent performances will be viewed differently. The fast starter will tend to be seen more as continuing rapid success even as the slow starter is seen as remaining solidly predictable. This is simply a pattern in your mind.
Welcome new Level Up readers. Free members get 2 full newlsetter articles a month on career growth solutions.
Paid members get 8 articles + exclusive access to ongoing live podcasts/events (e.g. career talks, watching live executive coaching with a real client, fireside chats w/leaders, career Q&A) + all video recordings (13+ hours of content to date) + a private Slack community for leadership networking.
Learn more and hear what members have to say:
In this clip of a live executive coaching event, Ethan shares the difference between a “Doer vs Relationship Builder”:
Become a member to attend future events live and to watch the full 70-minute video recording between Ethan and a real executive coaching client (Director of PM in Big Tech) where Ethan covers:
Why networking early is critical
How to effectively build relationships internally and externally
How to maintain relationships
And more in a back-and-forth conversation with the client on the overall topic “How can I infuse internal/external networking into my weekly activities?”
Since we know speed matters, here’s what you can do:
Enter with a clear learning plan and pursue rapid learning. You can hurt yourself by acting before your employees, peers, and manager feel you have paid attention and heard them. You can make dumb mistakes for lack of knowledge and offend people. Ask questions, be humble, listen.
Realize that your early weeks and months matter more, so clear your calendar to work more. If extra time is worth it, use it to outperform early and set that positive impression in motion. Once you are seen as a star you can more easily get away with lower hours later.