The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels - Book Review

Probation periods for new jobs have always been the norm and in most cases they were just a formality. But, in these hard economic times where companies are trying to cut costs everywhere, finding yourself without a job because you were not able to position yourself properly during this important period is a possibility.

Dr. Michael Watkins, chairman of Genesis Advisers and author of "The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels", tries to convince us that success in proving our worth during the initial transitioning period into a new job is a skill that can be learned. He teaches us this skill by presenting us with a set of principles, tasks and advice that help making our entry to our new professional role a lot smoother and increase our probability of surviving past probation.

It might be tempting to think that this book is reserved only for C-Level executives but that appreciation could not be more wrong. The concepts found in the book can be applied to any level of leadership, from program to principal and general managers. It can truly be of help anyone undergoing a transition into a new role.

The book is written in a clear, concise manner and includes an example at the start of each chapter that illustrates how the principles introduced in the chapter could be used to avoid falling into pitfalls.

To summarize, I think that this book is a great read, and very useful for any leader that wants to be successful in transitioning to a new role. Nevertheless, I feel it could benefit from focusing more on actual real world case studies and practical advice instead of mostly on concepts. This is why I would recommend complementing this book with Thomas Neff and James Citrin's "You're in Charge--Now What?: The 8 Point Plan" which includes more down to earth examples and an actual action plan.