Days 1-30: Map the landscape
Your first month is not about proving yourself. It is about understanding the terrain — who does what, who influences what, and how decisions actually get made (which is rarely how the org chart suggests).
In your first week, ask your manager three questions: "Who should I definitely meet with in my first month?" "Who are the key stakeholders for our team's work?" and "Who are the informal leaders I should know?" This gives you a roadmap of the relationships that matter most.
Schedule 30-minute introductory conversations with at least 15-20 people in your first month. This sounds like a lot, but these are the easiest meetings you will ever schedule — people expect new hires to reach out and are generally happy to help. In each conversation, ask: "What does your team do? What is the biggest challenge you are facing? How does your work connect to mine?"
Take notes after every conversation. Who they are, what they care about, what you learned, and any commitments made. Your memory will fail you within a week — you are meeting too many people too quickly. A system for capturing this context is not optional; it is essential. This is exactly what Orvo was built for — building a relationship map from day one.
Days 30-60: Build reciprocity
By month two, you have met the key people. Now you need to turn introductions into working relationships. The bridge is reciprocity — finding ways to be useful before you need anything.
Share information. If you learn something in a meeting that affects another team, pass it along with a quick note. If you read an article relevant to someone's challenge, forward it. Being a connector of information is one of the fastest ways to build goodwill in a new organisation.
Volunteer for cross-functional work. When a project needs someone from your team, raise your hand. Cross-functional projects are the best relationship accelerator in any organisation — they put you in rooms with people you would not otherwise interact with, working toward a shared goal.
Follow up on your introductory conversations. If someone mentioned a challenge they were facing, check in: "How did the vendor negotiation go?" This shows you were actually listening, not just going through the motions. Most new hires never follow up on intro meetings — doing so immediately sets you apart.
Avoid the temptation to criticise how things work. You may see problems clearly as an outsider, but leading with criticism before you have built trust makes people defensive. Note your observations privately and save them for when you have the relationships to deliver feedback effectively.
Days 60-90: Solidify your position
By month three, you should have a clear picture of the organisation's dynamics and a network of relationships you can lean on. Now it is time to solidify your position.
Have a 90-day check-in with your manager. Share what you have learned, what you think the team's biggest opportunities are, and where you see yourself contributing most. This conversation signals that you are past onboarding and ready to operate at full capacity.
Reach upward. If you have not had a conversation with your skip-level, request one. Share your observations about the team and the organisation with genuine curiosity, not presumption. Senior leaders are often curious about what new hires see — you have a fresh perspective that tenure blinds others to.
Identify your 5-7 key relationships — the people whose support will be most important for your success in this role. These are your critical stakeholders. Make sure you have regular touchpoints with each of them, even if it is just a monthly coffee or a quick check-in.
The professionals who thrive in new roles are not always the most talented. They are the ones who built relationships early, created goodwill before they needed it, and established a reputation as someone who is thoughtful, reliable, and easy to work with. That reputation, built in your first 90 days, compounds for years.
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Map your stakeholder landscape in the first 30 days by meeting 15-20 people
- ✓ Take notes after every conversation — your memory cannot keep up with onboarding
- ✓ Build reciprocity in months 2-3 by sharing information and volunteering for cross-functional work
- ✓ Avoid leading with criticism — build trust before offering feedback on how things work
- ✓ Identify your 5-7 critical relationships and maintain regular touchpoints