Quote
“Match strategy to situation.”
— Michael D. Watkins, in The First 90 Days (2003) · The First 90 Days →
Why it was said
One of the chapter titles of The First 90 Days. In that chapter Michael Watkins sorts the situations a new leader can inherit into types such as start-up, turnaround, realignment and sustaining success; the updated edition adds accelerated growth and calls the model STARS.
What it actually means
The argument is that there is no single right way to take over a role, because the job differs with what you inherit. A turnaround calls for fast, decisive action on a business everyone knows is in trouble. A realignment means persuading people who think things are fine that they are not. Sustaining success means protecting what works while finding the next move, and the biggest risk is damaging it with changes made to prove yourself. A leader who brings the playbook from their last role often applies the right method to the wrong situation. Diagnosing the situation first, and agreeing that diagnosis with the boss, is the step most transitions skip.
How to use it
- 1Before your first big decision in a new role, write one sentence on which situation you have inherited and why.
- 2Ask your boss the same question and compare the answers; a mismatch is the first thing to resolve.