Your first 90 days set the foundation for everything that follows. Don’t try to change things immediately. Install the 5R habits — one at a time — and let your leadership build through action, not announcements.
You just stepped into a leadership role. Congratulations — and good luck. Because here’s what nobody tells you: the skills that got you promoted are not the skills that will make you succeed.
You were promoted because you were good at the work. Now your job isn’t to do the work — it’s to make other people better at theirs. That’s a completely different skill set. And most new managers learn it through painful trial and error because nobody gives them a system.
The 5R Leadership Framework is that system. Here’s how to install it in your first 90 days.
Observe and Listen — Don’t Change Anything Yet
Your biggest temptation will be to make your mark quickly. To change things. To show you’re in charge. Resist it.
The first two weeks should be about understanding the system you’ve inherited. Ask your team:
These conversations give you the 5R diagnostic data you need. You’re not just being polite — you’re mapping where each R stands: are priorities clear? Are expectations set? Is recognition happening? Are blockers being addressed? Is the current standard being modelled?
Install R5 First — Role Model
Before you set a single expectation for anyone else, set them for yourself. Show up the way you want your team to show up. Be on time. Follow through. Be present during the hard moments. This builds trust faster than any team meeting.
Install R2 and R1 — Reset Expectations, Then Reprioritise
Now that you’ve built trust through behaviour, you can start setting standards. But do it collaboratively, not dictatorially.
Install R3 and R4 — Recognise and Resource
Summary
Weeks 3-4: Install Role Model. Let your behaviour do the talking.
Month 2: Reset Expectations and Reprioritise. Bring clarity.
Month 3: Recognise and Resource. Acknowledge the good. Remove one blocker.
Day 91 onwards: Run all five Rs daily. You now have a system.
What This Looks Like in Practice
When I took over a new team, I spent the first two weeks just asking questions and watching. Some people expected immediate changes. I didn’t make any. By week three, I started showing up consistently in a way that matched the standards I’d eventually ask for.
By month two, when I started setting expectations, nobody was surprised. They’d already seen me living them. That made every conversation easier. The system worked because I installed it in the right order.
One Thing to Do Right Now
Put the 5R to Work
The 5R Leadership Toolkit includes 90-day onboarding templates, conversation scripts, and the one-page framework reference.
Get the 5R Toolkit — £12
