Coaching new managers: the first 90 days when a good routine matters most
Kende became a driver at the age of 27. In the first week, he prepared everything: spreadsheets, to-do lists, team plan. Then came the reality. Half of the team expected faster decisions, the other half more consultation. And in the leadership circle, he had the feeling that everyone was „ready” but him. Kende realized in the evening that most of the day was not leadership, but worrying, explaining and rescuing.
If newly appointed leader, there's no shame in that, or in not having a routine in this area. The first 90 days are often like that: strong intentions, lots of good ideas, but lots of little situations that distract you. At CoachLab Coaching Services, we find that coaching gives new leaders the most value when we don't start with „big principles” but with a routine that supports day-to-day operations.
In the following sections, we provide a 90-day framework. It's simple, easy to understand and put together so you can use some of it tomorrow.
Week 1: three questions to sort out the chaos
In the first days, most new drivers have everything running through their minds at once. This is understandable, just not useful. Coaching for new leaders often starts by cutting off the unnecessary circles and starting with three questions.
- What are 3 things that will make the team work better this week?
- What doesn't need to be done perfectly now, just well enough?
- What's the one conversation you've been putting off, and that's why the tension is rising?
These three questions often give you more than a complete „leadership methodology”; because they give you focus.
Mini exercise for week 1
Write down 5 sentences you definitely need to say this week and keep them in your head:
- expectation
- deadline
- Decision
- Frame
- Question
Coaching for new leaders typically polishes these sentences until they are short and clear.
Weeks 2-3: meetings where you don't want to be a „good actor”, but the team wants to move forward
A fresh drivers often they go from meeting to meeting, and at the end of the day they still have the feeling that nothing happened. Two mistakes tend to happen here.
Mistake 1: We discuss everything, we don't conclude anything.
Mistake 2: you carry the meeting on your back, so the team is passive.
Coaching for new leaders at this stage brings a very simple rule:
At the end of each meeting, there should be 1 decision and 2 next steps.
If not, it was not a meeting, but a conversation.
Sample sentences for meeting
- „What is it that we decide today, and what is it that is only information?”
- „Who's next, and by when?”
- „What is the smallest commitment we can make today?”
These may seem strange to say at first, but you will quickly feel that coaching for new leaders is not magic, but a better framework.
Weeks 4-6: decisions that don't need 100%, just good direction and feedback
New managers often feel the stakes are too high when making a decision. This leads to procrastination, overconfidence, or „I'll look into everything”.
Here, we do two things.
1) Decision categories
Split the decisions in two:
Type A: an easy-to-fix decision
A quick decision is needed here, followed by a check.
Type B: difficult to correct decision
You need the extra round here, but only for this one.
A coaching for new leaders is useful because it helps you to know if you feel like a type B in everything. Often you do, and that's the problem.
2) Definition of „good decision”
In the minds of many leaders, a good decision equals a bad one. In reality, a good decision is often what it is:
- is born on time
- tolerable risk
- and have it checked back in two weeks
It is worth saying this to the team. It makes you look clean, not weak.
Weeks 7-9: delegating, where the goal is not to be faster but to make the team work
The fresh one of the hidden traps of leaders, that they are still working in „top performer” mode. Because of this, they keep a lot of things to themselves and the team's learning slows down.
Coaching new managers in delegation usually involves four simple elements:
- What exactly are we delivering?
- What is the finished output? (how it looks when finished)
- When should you ask for feedback? (not just the end)
- What is the framework that we do not cross? (time, quality, risk)
Once these are in place, delegation is not a „throwaway” but a learning journey.
Short sentence for delegation
„This will be your job. The finished output is this. Meanwhile, I'll ask for a 10-minute status on Friday so we can correct it in time.”
Coaching for new leaders is often empowered by simple phrases like these.
What to let go of in the first month
This is the part that many new drivers find particularly overwhelming. Not because of the work, but because they are constantly watching themselves.
Which often comes up:
- „Was I smart enough at the meeting?”
- „Don't the others look the same?”
- „The other driver must know better.”
- „If I'm not very determined, I'm not taken seriously.”
We are not saying „don't bother”. We're saying put it in its place.
Which is good to let go:
- that everyone is always happy with you
- that you have to shine in every situation
- so that everyone understands your decision the first time
- always have „ready answers” in the management circle
Two things matter more: framework and consistency; these are what build trust.
This is where coaching for new leaders often makes a big difference, because it puts the work back where the compliance left off.
Short real cases (anonymous)
Table: 90-day focus list
| Period | Main objective | What we do in coaching |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | Focus and frames | 3 question weekly order, sample sentences |
| Weeks 3-6 | Faster decisions | A/B decision list, look-back routine |
| Weeks 7-9 | Delegation in operational hands | Output, framework, status, responsibility |
| Weeks 10-12 | Stable daily rhythm | Meeting framework, communication, stress reduction |
How we start the process
At CoachLab Coaching Services, coaching for new managers usually starts with weekly situations. No „big story” is needed. You bring 2-3 specific cases, we bring:
- we put together a short weekly focus
- practising sentences for difficult conversations
- provide a decision-making and delegation framework
If you want to look around:
- CoachLab.hu/executive-coaching/
- CoachLab.hu/career-coaching/
- CoachLab.hu/blog/
Prices and frameworks: - CoachLab.hu/coaching-arak/
- Coach Search:
- Coachkereso.hu
