The First Ninety Days in Your Next Product Leadership Role
As a new product leader, the first 90 days on the job are critical to establishing yourself and setting the stage for future success. To make the most of this period, it’s essential to clearly understand your role and responsibilities, as well as the key challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
One of the first things you should do in your new role is to take stock of the current state of the product and its market, which means getting to know your team, customers, and competitors and analyzing any available data on product performance and market trends. By doing this, you can identify areas of opportunity and develop a roadmap for future product development.
Another essential task in your first 90 days is establishing clear communication channels with your team and other stakeholders. This means setting up regular check-ins and team meetings and establishing a process for sharing updates and progress reports. Doing this ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. Do a 1:1 with the team/department members as a first step.
In addition to building relationships with your team, it’s also essential to establish credibility with other key stakeholders, such as senior executives and investors. This means demonstrating a deep understanding of the product and the market and articulating a clear vision for its future — a difficult thing to do when you are new to the rule but gets more apparent as time passes. You may also need to address any concerns or questions these stakeholders have and work to build consensus around your product strategy. As mentioned, this point is difficult as, at first, it takes time to understand your surroundings. I would suggest asking each stakeholder what the pain points they identified are and their expectations from you. I like to ask what I could help with and use fast deliveries in these directions (hopefully low-hanging fruits) as a first step to building trust.
Throughout your first 90 days, remaining focused on delivering results and driving progress toward your goals is essential. This means prioritizing key initiatives and projects and ensuring your team/department has the resources and support needed to execute these plans. It also means being willing to make tough decisions and take calculated risks to move the product forward.
Finally, it’s important to remember that the first 90 days are just the beginning of your journey as a product leader. As you build momentum and progress, staying humble, open to feedback and new ideas, and committed to continuous improvement is essential. By doing this, you can lay the foundation for long-term success and make a lasting impact on your organization and the broader market.
This article was inspired by “The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels” by Michael D. Watkins.
