Careers · Growth
The first 90 days.
Your first 90 days set the ceiling for the next 900. Here's the Career OS playbook we run with every Founding Member.
6 min read·Published 2026-08-14
Days 0–30 — Listen more than you talk
Meet every stakeholder your role touches. Ask what “good” looks like from their seat. Take notes. Do not propose changes yet. You are building a map, not planting flags.
Days 30–60 — Ship one visible win
One well-scoped, high-visibility win beats five half-shipped experiments. Pick something your manager cares about, ship it end-to-end, and tell the story clearly.
Days 60–90 — Publish your operating rhythm
Weekly note, monthly retro, quarterly plan. Publish your rhythm so people know what to expect from you. Predictability is a leadership move.
What to avoid
Over-committing in week one. Rewriting other people's systems before you understand them. Ignoring the political map — every org has one.
Tools for this essay
FAQ
- What if my manager is absent? Build peer relationships. Skip-levels. Your first 90 days survive an absent manager if your network is wide.
- When can I propose big changes? Day 61. Wait until you have context and a win. Big changes without either land badly.