First 90 Days on a New Job – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1266

First 90 Days on a New Job – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1266

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1266 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here.

Credit: Alpha Trade Zone

Preamble

This blog post is based on the recommendations given by Michael Watkins during a Q&A session. He has also written a book on this subject. Link at the end.

These days particularly, I see lot of movement in the pharma industry. Some very senior people from leadership positions are switching after serving long stints. This post is directed toward them especially.

The First 90 Days: Why Your Fast Start in a New Job Matters More Than You Think

Starting a new job is one of the most emotionally charged transitions in professional life. It brings excitement, anxiety, hope, uncertainty, and opportunity. 

Whether you are a first-time employee, a newly promoted manager, or a senior executive stepping into leadership, the beginning matters. A lot. Because first impressions are formed quickly. Expectations begin silently. Relationships start shaping. Reputations begin crystallizing.

Recent insights from Harvard Business School reinforce an important truth: The early days in a new role create momentum that can shape long-term success. Yet many professionals underestimate this critical phase. They assume success will naturally emerge over time. But careers rarely work that way.

A strong beginning does not guarantee long-term success. But a poor beginning often creates invisible disadvantages that are difficult to reverse.

Why Beginnings Carry Unusual Power

Human psychology assigns special importance to beginnings. People remember first meetings, first impressions, early behaviors, initial decisions, and on a lighter note, first love.

When colleagues know little about you, they pay closer attention. They observe how you communicate, how you behave, how quickly you learn, how you respond to pressure, and how you treat others. 

The first weeks become a data collection period. Fair or unfair, judgments form quickly. That is why beginnings carry disproportionate influence.

The Biggest Mistake: Assuming the Job Is What the Job Description Says

Many professionals arrive believing they understand the role. After all, they read the job description. They completed interviews, and they discussed responsibilities. But reality is always richer and messier.

Every role has two versions. The formal job is what is written, the informal job is what actually matters.

The informal job includes management expectations, cultural norms, hidden priorities, relationship dynamics, and unspoken success criteria. Professionals who succeed quickly understand this difference. Those who struggle focus only on formal responsibilities.

A new job is never just a technical assignment; it is entry into a living social system.

Listen Before You Lead

A common temptation, especially for experienced hires, is to prove value immediately. They want to demonstrate expertise, show confidence, and deliver visible action. This instinct is understandable, but often dangerous. Because premature action without understanding creates avoidable mistakes.

Strong performers in new roles begin differently. They ask, they observe, and they listen. They try to understand what is working, what is broken, who influences decisions, what tensions exist, and what matters most here. Listening is not passivity; it is strategic intelligence gathering. People trust leaders who understand before acting.

Build Relationships Early Because Work Runs on Trust

Jobs may look task-driven, but organizations are relationship-driven. Performance depends on people and people support those they trust. That makes relationship-building one of the highest-return investments in the early days.

This means connecting intentionally with direct manager, team members, key peers, cross-functional partners, and informal influencers. Notice, not just formal hierarchy, because influence often sits outside org charts.

Some professionals focus only on technical competence. That is incomplete. Competence gets attention but trust gets cooperation, and cooperation accelerates success.

Clarify Expectations Ruthlessly

One of the most common reasons new hires struggle is simple. They work hard in the wrong direction.

Assumptions create costly confusion. What does success actually mean? Your manager may prioritize speed, stability, innovation, relationship repair, team morale, and operational discipline. Without clarity, you may optimize for the wrong metric. Ambiguity is expensive; clarity is leverage.

Quick Wins Matter, but So Does Judgment

Early wins build credibility. They create momentum and reassure stakeholders. But not all wins are equal. The wrong quick win can create long-term damage. Even when they look decisive, they can create resistance.

The best quick wins are visible, useful, low-risk, and respectful of existing culture. Small successes create trust capital, and it enables bigger transformation later.

The Emotional Reality of New Roles

Transitions are psychologically demanding. Even highly accomplished professionals may experience self-doubt, imposter feelings, social uncertainty, and fear of failure. This is normal.

A new environment temporarily removes familiar confidence anchors. You may no longer know the unwritten rules, the influential people, the decision rhythms, and the cultural signals. This discomfort often causes overcompensation. Some people become overly assertive; others become excessively cautious. Neither is ideal. The goal is steady confidence, not defensive performance.

Learn the Culture Because Culture Punishes Ignorance

Every organization has culture, even dysfunctional ones. Culture determines communication style, decision-making pace, conflict norms, risk tolerance, and leadership expectations. Ignore culture at your peril. A technically brilliant professional can fail simply by misreading cultural expectations.

In some organizations, speed is admired. In others, consensus matters more. In some, challenge is welcomed; in others, hierarchy dominates.

Adaptation is not inauthenticity; it is organizational intelligence.

The Leadership Version of a New Start

For leaders, transitions are even more sensitive, because people are not merely observing competence; they are evaluating character. Leadership credibility forms early and emotional tone matters enormously. Leaders who create safety accelerate team performance. Leaders who create fear slow information flow. And without information, leadership quality declines.

In pharma, transitions are uniquely demanding. A new role may involve regulatory complexity, scientific decision-making, commercial pressure, technical credibility, and cross-functional dependence. Relationships matter intensely between: 

• Medical

• Marketing

• Regulatory

• Sales

• Manufacturing

• Market access

A fast start in pharma is not about aggressive action; it is about disciplined learning. A leader entering pharma, or shifting roles within it, must understand scientific realities, compliance constraints, commercial expectations, and stakeholder sensitivities.

Fast does not mean reckless; it means intelligently accelerated learning.

Common Mistakes in New Roles

• Trying to Impress Instead of Understand – Performance theater is easy to detect.

• Acting Too Slowly – Endless observation can look indecisive.

• Talking More Than Listening – Confidence without curiosity alienates people.

• Ignoring Informal Networks – Power rarely exists only in titles.

• Assuming Past Success Guarantees Future Success – Every context is different.

• Avoiding Clarification – Misaligned effort creates frustration.

Sum Up

The first chapter of a role does not define the whole story, but it strongly influences it. A thoughtful beginning creates better relationships, faster credibility, clearer expectations, stronger confidence, and greater momentum. And momentum matters. Because careers are rarely changed by one dramatic event; they are shaped by sequences of smart beginnings.

When starting a new job, remember, your goal is not to impress immediately. Your goal is to understand quickly, connect wisely, and contribute thoughtfully. Because in the end, a fast start is not about moving quickly, it is about learning quickly enough to move wisely.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, any claim is lodged, it will be acknowledged and duly recognized immediately.

Reference:

https://www.library.hbs.edu/working-knowledge/a-fast-start-on-your-new-job