Your First 90 Days of Power

 The first 90 days in a transformation role can make or break your success. In this episode, Rob Llewellyn reveals a proven roadmap to build credibility, control, and strategic influence from day one. Learn how to decode organisational dynamics, align with executive intent, deliver quick wins, and shape your leadership narrative. Whether you're starting fresh or resetting mid-journey, this guide is essential for any transformation leader. Tune in to lead with confidence and clarity. 

🏛 Join the FREE Enterprise Transformation & AI Hub → cxotransform.com/p/hub

🔍 Follow Rob Llewellyn on LinkedIn → in/robllewellyn

🎥 Watch Rob’s enterprise transformation videos → youtube.com/@cxofm

🎙 Part of the Digital Transformation Broadcast Network (DTBN)

Transcript

1. The Clock Starts Now

Hi, I’m Rob Llewellyn — and in this video, I’m going to walk you through exactly what every transformation manager must master in their first 90 days.

Because here’s the truth: the clock starts ticking on your influence the moment you accept the role.

You get a new title. Perhaps a warm welcome message. Maybe a copy of the strategy deck. But beneath the surface? You’re already under scrutiny. People are quietly wondering:

• “Can this person actually deliver?”
• “Will this be any different from the last transformation?”
• “Should I support this — or wait for it to collapse?”

The first 90 days aren’t a buffer. They’re your credibility runway.

If you waste them, you’ll find yourself chasing influence instead of shaping outcomes.

But if you use them well — you lay the groundwork for strategic control, meaningful impact, and trusted leadership.

So let’s get into it.

2. Decode the Landscape Before You Act

The biggest mistake I see?

Leaders who jump straight into action without decoding the organisation first.

In the first 10 days, your primary role is to observe — not to act.

Why?

Because every enterprise has two versions of itself:

• The one on the org chart.
• And the one that actually operates behind the scenes.

Your job is to map both.

Understand:

• Who really holds influence?
• Where are the informal alliances and tensions?
• What past efforts failed — and why?

You’re not just managing a programme — you’re navigating a political and operational ecosystem. And that means your first priority is learning how the game is actually played in this organisation.

3. Build Your Strategic Stakeholder Map

Now that you’ve read the terrain, it’s time to identify the players. Not a stakeholder list — a stakeholder map.

You want to capture:

• Formal authority vs. informal influence.
• Active supporters vs. passive resistors.
• Those who nod in meetings vs. those who move the dial behind the scenes.

This isn’t soft stuff. It’s survival.

Because transformation doesn’t rise or fall on the strength of your Gantt chart. It rises or falls on the alignment and engagement of the people around you. So build a map. Then build a relationship strategy. Who needs frequent updates? Who should be brought in early for alignment? And who’s likely to derail momentum if left out? Map it. Track it. Engage it — deliberately.

4. Align With Executive Intent — Not Just the Deck

By now, someone’s probably handed you a deck.

It’ll have mission statements. Strategic pillars. Transformation principles. That’s not enough. You need the real executive intent. What do I mean? The truth that lives behind the bullet points. What are the outcomes they’ll defend at the board level?

What are the risks they’re unwilling to tolerate — even if not spoken aloud? What are the reputational, financial, or political stakes they’re managing? Run one-on-one alignment sessions with key executives.

Ask:

• “What will make this transformation credible in your eyes?”
•  “What does success really look like by year-end?”
• “What would cause you to lose confidence in this effort?”

Because clarity here saves you from misalignment later.

5. Stand Up Your Governance Rhythm Early

If you don’t create governance — chaos will create itself. Don’t wait for permission. Don’t assume someone else is handling it. Establish your governance rhythm within the first month.

Define:

• How decisions are made
• How escalations flow
• What cadence keeps things on track

This isn’t about control for control’s sake. It’s about focus, velocity, and ownership. Governance doesn’t slow you down. It makes sure the right problems are solved by the right people at the right time — and that everyone knows the score.

6. Build Your Credibility Calendar

This is one of the most overlooked levers in the first 90 days. I call it your Credibility Calendar. It’s your strategic communication schedule — not for reporting, but for demonstrating control and progress. You’re aiming for consistent, visible touchpoints that build trust.

Think:

• A stakeholder update in week 2 showing orientation progress
• An early win announced in week 4
• A pilot result shared by week 6
• An executive pack circulated by week 8

Why? 

Because in transformation, perception is progress. People need to see traction. Not promises. Not pitch decks. Proof.

Your calendar becomes your credibility engine.

7. Quick Wins — Without Strategic Compromise

Let’s be clear: you do need quick wins. But they must be strategic quick wins. Many managers fall into one of two traps:

• Delivering something fast — but meaningless.
• Delaying wins in pursuit of something big — but distant.

You need something in between.

The criteria?

1. It must solve a real business friction.
2.  It must be visible to key stakeholders.
3. It must demonstrate a new way of operating — not just fixing the old.

Avoid “busy work wins”.

Deliver symbolic value — things that signal change has arrived.

8. Build a Transformation Intelligence System

By now, you’ve got stakeholders, activities, and expectations multiplying.

You need structure. Not for the sake of compliance — but for the sake of execution visibility. So set up your Transformation Intelligence System.

This doesn’t require a massive tool. A well-structured Excel or Smartsheet can get you 80% there.

You need:

• A live initiative tracker
• Risk and issue logs
• A dependency map
• Milestone tracking
• Value delivery metrics

Think of this as your cockpit.It keeps you proactive — not reactive. 

And when an executive asks, “Where are we on X?” — you’ll have the answer before they finish the sentence.

9. Shape the Narrative — Or Someone Else Will

Here’s what no one tells you:

• If you don’t control the story, someone else will.
• And once that story spreads — it’s hard to unseat.
• So shape your own narrative.

That means:

• Regular, sharp stakeholder updates.
• Executive brief packs that tell a value story — not just activities.
• Departmental comms that explain what’s coming, why it matters, and how to engage.

Narrative isn’t fluff. It’s influence infrastructure. 

Done well, it shapes how your programme is perceived — which directly affects how it’s supported, funded, and protected.

10. Day 90 — Present the Plan, Not the Deck

At this point, you shift from listening to leading. And it’s time to present your position. But don’t just build another deck. Build your Transformation Operating Model.

Present:

• What’s in scope
• How decisions will be made
• Who’s accountable for what
• What success looks like — and how it’ll be measured

This becomes your north star. A visible, structured signal that this transformation isn’t theoretical. It’s operational. And you’re running it.

Closing: Ready to Lead with Confidence?

I’ve worked with transformation leaders across industries, continents, and crisis points. One thing is always clear:

• You don’t earn trust through activity.
• You earn it through clarity, rhythm, and credibility — especially in your first 90 days.

So if you’re stepping into a transformation role — or if you’re already in one and need to reset — this is your roadmap.