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I'll be a new manager for an existing team. I've been listening to the First 90 Days series and the First Meeting with Directs series. 

The First 90 Days series is all about fitting in and not making changes. The First Meeting with Directs series is all about laying out expectations for honesty and kindness. Depending on the team, this could involve big change. 

How do you reconcile these two directions? I'm guessing you just walk that fine line, laying our your expectations for culture and honesty while trying not to make it seem like big change. 

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the subject.

Thanks, Mike

pucciot's picture
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Mike :

M-T - as far as I know suggests that the only two changes to make in the first 90 days are the introduction of weekly staff meetings and doing One-On-Ones.

I think the clarity in your question needs to come from what you consider to be "changes".

I think that M-T considers changes to be changes in process and policy and workflow and reporting structures and reports given, etc.

Building a relationship and laying out general expectations is not really a change until concrete actions are taken.

Yes, the staff may see your expressing the expectation of kindness and honesty as a change in attitude and expectation, but until you actually take an action or change a policy related to kindness and honesty, then I don't think that would be considered a pre- 90-day change in this sense.

A concrete example might be ( I am not really making this a suggestion just an example to illustrate my point) :

An expectation of clean language.

In the first 90-days discussing the expectation that you would like an atmosphere that does not include swear words, course or salty language.

After the 90-days installing a cursing money jar, that anyone who curses has to put a dollar in.

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In the first 90-days discuss the need to be tighter with the budget and suggesting that the staff might have to chip in for non-essentials

After the 90-days putting out a coffee collection jar and stopping the free coffee pot.

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First 90-day --- discuss expectation

After 90-days --- take action towards making that expectation happen.

This is how I would think about it.

(BTW -  a cursing jar and stopping free coffee might both be ill-advised changes and may cause rioting)

TJPuccio