Why it matters
New managers are often left to sink or swim after onboarding. A structured check-in at 90 days tests whether they are building a team system that works without constant rescue — and what their own manager should do differently to help.
How to run it
Before the meeting, the new manager writes one page: the three outcomes they were asked to influence; what's changed in the team; two risks; one good decision; one decision they'd handle differently; and the support they need.
1. Role clarity and priorities
- What are the three outcomes you believe you own?
- Which priority has had too little attention?
- Where are your decision rights still unclear?
- What should the team stop or defer?
2. Understanding the team
- What have you learned about each person's strengths and constraints?
- Where is the team overly dependent on one person?
- Which relationship needs more trust or clearer expectations?
- What problem might people be reluctant to raise with you?
3. Operating rhythm
- Which meetings create decisions, and which only create updates?
- How do commitments and risks become visible?
- How often does each person get useful feedback?
- What information reaches the team too late?
4. Results and learning
- Which result are you most confident will improve next quarter — and which leading signal supports that?
- What assumption from your first month turned out to be wrong?
- What experiment should the team run next?
5. Support from your manager
- Which responsibility takes time without enough value?
- Where do you need more authority or context?
- Which management skill should we practise next?
- What should I do differently to help you succeed?
Close with five commitments for the next 30 days — a result to advance, a team or role issue, a recurring habit, a skill to practise, and one action the manager's manager will take — and set the follow-up date before you leave the room.
Related: The Pre-Arrival Manager Checklist · The Flipped 1:1
Watch out for
- Turning it into a probation review — it is developmental
- Collecting direct-report input without protecting confidentiality
- Ending without commitments and a follow-up date
When not to use it
If there are serious performance concerns, address those separately and directly — don’t hide them in a development conversation.
