How to Support Leaders in Their First 90 Days

Written By
Camille Bradbury
Published On: March 13, 2026

Camille Bradbury is Editor-in-Chief of HRinsidr, where she translates evolving compliance and employment law developments into practical guidance for HR leaders. She has partnered with entrepreneurs, corporate teams, nonprofits, and government agencies to navigate legal complexity and operational growth, supporting organizations from early-stage startups to multimillion-dollar enterprises. Her work focuses on helping HR lead high-stakes people decisions with clarity and confidence.

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In the past five years, I’ve become more hesitant to leave an employer because of the transition period into a new role. I hate feeling like a bull in a china shop. All the usual worries surface. Will they like me? Can I do this? The first 90 days are vulnerable, exciting, and stressful.

Most employers I’ve worked with have a “throw them to the wolves” or “see if they can swim” mentality when it comes to training their workforce. You have to be resourceful and a strong problem solver to succeed in these environments. But I also know plenty of people who weren’t so lucky and didn’t make it through their first 90 days.

So how do we increase the chances of success for new hires? How do we help them build initial relationships and secure early wins that boost confidence and influence their ability to make great decisions?

That’s exactly what Michael D. Watkins explains through the Virtuous Cycle for new managers in his international bestseller, The First 90 Days. Watkins outlines two cycles that often predict the success or failure of a newly hired manager: the Virtuous Cycle and the Vicious Cycle.

Watkins describes these cycles as interwoven factors that build momentum. New managers feel supported when they build alliances, which makes them more comfortable presenting their strategy or vision to the group. When they receive support for that vision, they feel respected and confident in their abilities at the new company. This creates an optimal environment for success. When managers feel supported and trust that they belong, they are in a much stronger position to perform well.

The opposite happens in the Vicious Cycle. If a new manager fails to build relationships or get up to speed quickly, they may struggle to gain support from others. Credibility can erode quickly, creating resistance from the team and making the transition even more difficult.

Both the employer and the employee play a role in determining which cycle takes hold. Employees must actively perform, ask for support, and pursue their development. Employers, however, should provide the structure and resources necessary to help new leaders avoid the pitfalls of the Vicious Cycle.

What are the Pitfalls?

Damage to credibility early on can put new managers into a negative feedback loop that is difficult to escape. I’ve been there myself. Typically, I’ve had to overperform on my first major deliverable just to crawl out of it.

Once a pattern of negative behavior begins to form, or once a belief about someone is reinforced by even small pieces of evidence, it becomes incredibly difficult to convince people otherwise.

This is why it’s imperative for HR to work closely with leadership to influence employee engagement and retention metrics. Recruiting a new manager can take weeks or months, and the first 90 days are fragile. HR can play a major role in helping the leader you worked so hard to recruit succeed by cultivating a Virtuous Cycle.

The following are Watkins’ success measures for new managers, along with ideas for where employers can support the process.

Success in a Manager’s First 90 Days

  • Accelerate Your Learning

    Managers must get up to speed quickly on the business strategy and organizational goals.

    Manager Support: Ask the hiring manager to create a one-page overview of business strategy and department goals for the new hire during orientation.

    HR Support: Provide access to LinkedIn Learning or other development tools to strengthen skills identified during the recruiting process.

  • Define a Clear Diagnosis

    Different organizations solve different problems. A manager might be building from scratch in a startup or refining systems in a mature organization. Correctly diagnosing the problem they were hired to solve is critical.

    Manager Support: Clearly outline the context, the challenges the new hire will face, and what the company expects them to solve. Transparency is key.

  • Secure Early Wins

    Early wins help new managers build credibility and trust with their team.

    Manager Support: Provide four or five examples of potential early wins the new hire could achieve.

    HR Support: Encourage leaders to track early wins using goal-setting tools within the HRIS performance review system. Custom fields can help organizations monitor and reinforce this practice.

  • Negotiate Success

    Managers should develop a clear 90-day plan and establish regular check-ins to build alignment.

    Manager Support: Schedule 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins with the new hire.

    HR Support: Provide surveys or feedback tools to assess how the new manager is gaining influence and buy-in for their initiatives.

  • Achieve Alignment

    The manager’s strategy must align with the broader business goals.

    Manager Support: Provide background on company strategy, cultural expectations, and examples of behaviors that have historically led to success.

  • Build Your Team

    New managers may inherit an existing team or build a new one. In either case, they must make thoughtful personnel decisions early.

    HR Support: Provide frameworks such as The Five Dysfunctions of a Team to support healthy team development.

  • Create Coalitions

    Managers must influence people beyond their direct reporting lines. Building alliances across departments helps strengthen their vision and credibility.

    HR Support: Establish a manager mentor program with regular check-ins documented by senior leaders. Provide tools such as Social Styles training to help managers navigate interpersonal dynamics.

  • Keep Your Balance

    Transitions are difficult. Starting a new job is often ranked among life’s most stressful experiences, alongside divorce and moving.

    New leaders must stay emotionally balanced and make thoughtful decisions during this critical period.

    HR Support: Offer a confidential check-in around the 60-day mark. HR should be a trusted resource during times of stress, and that relationship can begin during the hiring process.

  • Accelerate Everyone

    When a manager transitions into a new role, their team is also experiencing a transition. Strong managers develop their people and quickly assess individual strengths and weaknesses.

    HR Support: Provide tools such as Social Style cards or similar resources to encourage relationship building.

Key Takeaways

  • Implement support where you can. Use orientation, HRIS tools, or AI-powered goal systems to influence the transition process.
  • Invest in development tools. Programs like LinkedIn Learning can help expand leadership capabilities.
  • Track the first 90 days. If turnover is high, analyzing where employees struggle early can reveal opportunities for improvement.
  • Visualize the Virtuous and Vicious Cycles. Including these concepts in orientation helps set realistic expectations.
  • Investigate challenges during recruiting. Understanding the team’s issues ahead of time helps prepare the new manager for success.
  • Act with empathy for the new leader. HR can serve as an important ally during this vulnerable period.

In the first 90 days, anxiety and imposter syndrome can derail an otherwise excellent hire. The real loss occurs when someone who was right for the role fails simply because they didn’t receive enough support during their transition.

Hiring is too difficult to let that happen.

When you find the right candidate, work with managers to help them integrate and succeed. If your organization frequently concludes that “it just wasn’t the right fit,” you may be focusing too heavily on recruiting instead of strengthening the retention systems that help new leaders succeed.