Michael Watkins (1) (1956–)

"...bestselling globally acknowledged bible of leadership and career transitions....In The First 90 Days, Watkins outlines proven strategies that will dramatically shorten the time it takes to reach what he calls the "breakeven point" when your organization needs you as much as you need the job. This new edition includes a substantial new preface by the author on the new definition of a career as a series of transitions; and notes the growing need for effective and repeatable skills for moving through these changes. As well, updated statistics and new tools make this book more reader-friendly and useful than ever."

- Good Reads review at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15824358-the-first-90-days?from_search=true&...… (lisätietoja)

One study found that on average a leader will have 13.5 major transitions in their career i.e. promotions, moves between functions, joining a new company, moving to a new geography, etc.

The First 90 Days is a great guide for anyone who is or will be undergoing any of the aforementioned transitions, as smoothly and effectively as possible.

Although published in the early 2000s, the points in the book are still relevant and it is no wonder this book is considered one of the best business books of all time.
… (lisätietoja)

A business self-help-type book that essentially does what the title states. Since I moved across the country and started a job right at the beginning of this quarter, it was a timely reminder of how to adapt to a new workplace. Many of the recommendations are pretty logically knowable if you've changed jobs before, but it can be a helpful primer for young people starting careers and those who have been away for a while. That said, the author had a focus on people who manage teams and may be joining C-suites, so not everything is exactly adaptable to the audience I think is best suited for this title.… (lisätietoja)

Starting any new job is tough, and the pressure cooker is even hotter if the job involves leadership of some sort. There’s simply so much history and dynamics that the new leader is unaware of and so many new difficulties that have not been surmounted. Yet leaders are responsible for lots, and their actions can impact how hundreds of thousands of dollars – if not millions – are spent. How can we improve the chances of success? This book offers practical ways organizations can help their leaders achieve early and lasting success at their new roles.

Several of Watkins’ suggestions stand out in my mind. First, aim for early successes, no matter how small, in order to gain credibility. Second, plan out the first 90 days and stick to the plan. Third, organizations can have employees explicitly focused towards leadership transitions to smooth the waters. Finally, Watkins provides several conceptual buckets to help the new leader understand the company’s and new position’s main challenge.

This book certainly addresses an important issue in an original, novel way. It’s geared specifically towards senior leadership (leaders of leaders), where much is at stake. It does not significantly address lower levels of the organization, like managers and lower-level leaders. Likely, this is because much less is at stake. An opportunity is nonetheless missed at broadening the potential audience of this book. By focusing on the highest levels of leadership, more general job transitions are not really addressed in this work. That’s a definite shortcoming.

For its niche – executive-level enterprise leadership – this book seems to hit the nail on the head. Nonetheless, it seems to avoid other opportunities to generalize its insights. It definitely gave me a thing or two to think about, and its analytical power stands out. I just wish that it hit more than the C-suite.… (lisätietoja)