Do You Need a 30-60-90 Day Plan?
By RDBA Executive Director Annette Maggi, MS, RDN, LD, FAND
A 30-60-90 day plan defines key actions you will take in the first 30-60-90 days in a new role. There are three occasions when building this plan makes sense – in the final stages of interviewing for a new role, in your first week at a new job with a new company, and in the first week of a new role with your existing company. In the final stages of an interview, your goal is to differentiate yourself from the other candidates by demonstrating your ability to build and operationalize a strategy. In a new job or a new role with your company, the plan showcases your understanding of the role and defines your deliverables as you hit the ground running in your new position.
A common mistake made in developing the 30-60-90 day plan is believing the goal is your training and your learning curve. It’s not. The purpose is to align your boss and management team with a framework for your success. You want to be declared successful after three months by those at the company who matter most in your career progression and development. Another common mistake is being vague in your plans, using terminology like “meeting with key internal partners” or “participating in company orientation.” These are the givens of what you must do in your new role, but don’t drive against company deliverables. All tactics and actions in your plan should have a measurable deliverable to which you will be held accountable.
Each month of this launch plan should have a different focus:
- Audit during day 1-30. During the interview process, you likely gained an understanding of the company’s values, goals and objectives, but this first month should be spent understanding the pain points within this and how you can solve them. Set up meetings with internal colleagues to have a clear understanding of what needs to get done to successfully drive health and wellness at the company. Know which categories of the store are lagging and how you might turn this around with your programs and services. Hone your listening skills during this phase of your plan, paying attention to what isn’t said as well as what is verbalized.
- Process during day 31-60. Based on all the information you’ve gathered, identify “quick wins,” tasks that can be completed in a short time frame and have visible impact on a department or the company. This shows leadership that you are committed to helping the company succeed, can make decisions and move quickly to execute, and partner effectively.
- Program during day 61-90. From the interview process, you will have a clear sense of the role’s responsibilities and goals. This phase of your plan should address the longer term strategic priorities of the role, how you will execute against them, and how you will measure success.
Creating this plan either within the interview process or during your first week in role shows your hiring or new manager that you are serious about the position and have confidence in your ability to exceed expectations for this role.
