The Launchpad for Success: How to Hit the Ground Running as First-Time Manager

The Owl and The Beetle: Thursday Memo

The first 30 days are crucial in setting the tone for success for a new manager.

By establishing a solid launchpad, you can hit the ground running and make early progress that impresses upper management.

This early traction can secure more resources for your team, such as greater autonomy, support, and influence.

With these additional resources, you can continue building momentum and achieving even greater success.

So don't underestimate the importance of a strong start - it can set the tone for the team and pave the way for future growth and development.

While relying on your employer's infrastructure for leadership development is helpful, it's also important to establish your strategies and methods for success.

🏗️ What is a personal launchpad

A personal launchpad can be as simple as a checklist or complicated as Large Language Model; that’s up to you. I’ll keep it as simple as possible for this essay. But feel free to expand to your needs.

Make a checklist, write down key questions, and identify a few people in the organization. After that is all about marking the checklist along the way, answering those questions, and meeting those people. As simple (or as complicated) as that.

The three milestones of your launchpad:

• 1️⃣ What you need to bring on day 1.

• 2️⃣ What you need to have established by day 15.

• 3️⃣ What you need to have accomplished by day 30.

Let’s get going!