Setting the Stage for Long-Term Success
Why Every New Manager Needs to Own Their Onboarding Plan
Congratulations! You've landed a new leadership role! Whether you're stepping into a management position within your current organization or joining a new company entirely, this moment is filled with potential. It's an opportunity to bring your vision to life, build a strong team, and drive meaningful results.
But let's be honest: it's also a high-stakes transition. You're expected to produce outcomes quickly, establish trust, navigate unspoken norms, and lead a team you might barely know. That's why a thoughtful onboarding plan isn't just helpful; it's essential.
While many organizations offer formal onboarding for employees, few provide a structured ramp-up process specifically tailored for leaders. Yet research and experience consistently show that the first 90 days are critical for long-term success. Leaders who approach this time with intention, clarity, and curiosity are far more likely to gain traction early and set themselves and their teams up for sustainable impact.
Let's explore why creating an onboarding plan matters and how to structure one effectively.
The Case for an Onboarding Plan
Starting a new management role without a plan is like setting out on a road trip with no map. You might eventually reach your destination, but it'll take longer, cost more energy, and risk wrong turns.
A good onboarding plan helps you:
Understand the terrain, from cultural norms to strategic priorities.
Build meaningful relationships with your team, peers, and stakeholders.
Avoid missteps that stem from making assumptions or moving too quickly.
Achieve early wins without compromising your long-term vision.
Earn trust and credibility, which is the currency of leadership.
Why put your success in the hands of others? Owning your plan empowers you to take full accountability for your actions and outcomes.
Why "Go Slow to Go Fast" is the Winning Strategy
One of the most important mindsets in a new role is this: "Go slow to go fast."
At first, this may sound counterintuitive. After all, aren't you supposed to prove your worth quickly? Yes, but rushing to make big changes before you understand the full picture often backfires. By slowing down to listen, observe, and learn the ecosystem, you build a foundation that enables smarter, faster decisions down the line.
Here's how "go slow to go fast" plays out in practice:
When you take the time to understand the system, it starts working for you, rather than resisting you.
What a Strong Onboarding Plan Looks Like
Your onboarding plan should be more than a to-do list. It's a roadmap with phases, priorities, and checkpoints that help you pace your leadership debut wisely.
Here's a practical 30-60-90-day framework you can adapt to fit your specific context.
First 30 Days – Learn and Listen
Primary Goal: Build trust, understand the landscape, and gain situational awareness.
Key Activities:
Meet with key stakeholders: Schedule one-on-ones with team members, peers, cross-functional partners, and your manager. Ask open-ended questions about goals, challenges, and what success looks like.
Study the business: Review the company strategy, financials, performance metrics, and key priorities.
Understand your team: Learn each person's role, background, and strengths. Take note of team dynamics, morale, and areas of friction.
Clarify expectations: Align with your manager on your charter, success metrics, and short- and long-term goals.
Tip: Keep a "learning journal" to track insights, ideas, and themes as they emerge. These notes will be a valuable reference point when you begin to act.
Days 31–60 – Assess and Strategize
Primary Goal: Identify quick wins, evaluate your environment, and define your leadership approach.
Key Activities:
Conduct a SWOT analysis: (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for your team or function.
Evaluate current processes: Where are things breaking down? Where are there duplications or inefficiencies?
Prioritize initiatives: Rank opportunities by impact and feasibility, striking a balance between quick wins and long-term goals.
Start small improvements: Tackle low-risk, high-impact changes to build early momentum.
Deepen relationships: Use this phase to check in regularly with stakeholders and continue building trust.
Remember: This phase is about connecting the dots. Resist the urge to fix everything at once. Your job is to make sure you know before prescribing.
Days 61–90 – Act and Align
Primary Goal: Deliver early results, share your vision, and position your team for future success.
Key Activities:
Deliver early wins: Implement 1–2 initiatives that demonstrate progress and address visible needs.
Communicate your leadership vision: Articulate where the team is headed and how you'll get there together.
Launch a team development plan: Address skills gaps, growth opportunities, and team health.
Ensure strategic alignment: Tie your team's work directly to broader company goals to reinforce relevance.
Solicit feedback: Create space for your manager, team, and peers to share observations and suggestions.
Outcome: You're now positioned not only as a new leader but also as a trusted and credible force for impact.
Key Principles for Successful Onboarding
Throughout each phase of your onboarding, keep these principles in mind:
Observe first, act later: Listening is your superpower. Avoid rushing in with solutions.
Relationships come first: Results follow trust. Invest time in people.
Stay humble and curious: Ditch the "in my last job…" mindset. Ask why things work the way they do here.
Map the informal network: Influence isn't always tied to title. Identify who others listen to and learn from.
Balance speed with strategy: Early wins matter, but not at the cost of long-term stability.
Final Thought: Intentional Onboarding Is Strategic Leadership
Onboarding isn't just orientation. For a new manager, it's a critical period of strategic discovery. When done well, it transforms your leadership trajectory.
By investing the time to understand your people, your environment, and your priorities, you create clarity, cohesion, and confidence for yourself and those you lead. You avoid costly missteps, earn credibility, and lay the groundwork for meaningful results.
In today's fast-moving, high-pressure environments, the temptation to move fast is real. But the leaders who endure and succeed are those who slow down just enough to get it right from the beginning.
So, create a plan. Own your plan. Follow it thoughtfully. And walk into your new role with purpose, presence, and a steady hand.
Because the best way to go fast… is to start smart.
Good Luck! You know where to find me if you have questions!
Warm Regards, Mary