A 30/60/90-day plan is a structured document outlining a professional’s goals and priorities for their first three months in a new role or project. This framework organizes the initial period into distinct, actionable phases, demonstrating a clear, forward-thinking approach to the transition. Its primary purpose is to signal preparedness, strategic thinking, and commitment to management and other stakeholders. Developing this plan shows an understanding of the role’s scope and provides a roadmap for achieving early success and minimizing the ramp-up time.
Pre-Planning and Gathering Information
Before any goals are written, the preparation phase requires extensive, targeted research to inform the plan’s direction. This involves analyzing the company’s recent performance, its market position, and the immediate challenges faced by the department. Understanding the team structure and the specific processes currently in place is necessary to ensure the plan aligns with existing operational realities. Identifying the established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with the role provides the necessary metrics for success measurement. Identifying the primary stakeholders—including direct reports, cross-functional partners, and executive sponsors—and documenting their specific expectations provides the foundational context for the entire 90-day framework.
Phase 1: The 30-Day Focus
The initial 30-day focus is dedicated to rapid assimilation and establishing a knowledge base. This period emphasizes meeting all direct and adjacent team members, scheduling one-on-one meetings to understand their workflows, and documenting their perceptions of the team’s strengths and weaknesses. A thorough review of historical data, including past project documentation, performance reports, and quarterly business reviews (QBRs), is required to understand the context and rationale behind past decisions and current initiatives. Assimilating into the operational landscape involves mastering the core tools and platforms used for daily operations, such as the CRM system, financial reporting software, or project management boards. A small portion of this phase should be dedicated to identifying low-hanging fruit—minor issues that can be resolved quickly to build rapport and demonstrate early momentum.
Phase 2: The 60-Day Focus
Building upon the knowledge acquired in the first month, the 60-day phase transitions the focus toward active contribution and measurable impact. This is the time to move from observation to implementation, initiating specific projects identified during the assimilation period. Individuals should take ownership of one or two smaller initiatives, ensuring they have clear start and end dates and measurable deliverables. This phase is appropriate for implementing initial process improvements, such as refining a team’s communication protocol or optimizing a data collection method. Providing actionable feedback to the manager and team translates insights into concrete recommendations, shifting the focus to tracking specific, quantifiable results from the newly-owned projects.
Phase 3: The 90-Day Focus
The final 90-day phase focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking and integrating into the long-term vision of the department and organization. By this point, the individual should be operating with autonomy, initiating complex, cross-functional projects that require collaboration with departments like Marketing, Product, or Finance. These projects involve aligning departmental goals with broader organizational objectives, requiring a comprehensive understanding of the business ecosystem. This phase involves proposing long-term strategic improvements, such as outlining potential goals for the subsequent quarter, suggesting necessary resource allocation changes, or advocating for new technology adoption. This period is also appropriate for demonstrating leadership potential, perhaps by mentoring a new team member or taking ownership of a recurring team meeting.
Best Practices for Presenting and Using Your Plan
Once the content is developed, formatting the plan for readability is important, focusing on clear, concise language and professional aesthetics. The plan should be formatted with distinct sections for each 30-day block, ensuring a clean visual flow that is easy for a manager to digest quickly. Treat the plan as a living document, scheduling regular review meetings with management to discuss progress and make necessary adjustments based on shifting priorities. Tailoring the plan to the audience is also important, simplifying the language and scope if presenting it in an interview versus using a detailed version for internal execution.