10 useful tips for creating a 30-60-90 day plan when entering a new company or starting a new position. This also includes specific example for a sourcing manager role.

1. 30-60-90 Day Plan
Arnon Kraft
Senior Director for Strategic Sourcing,
Microsoft
arkraft@microsoft.com
arnon@arnonkraft.com
10 Tips for building a

2. When?
• New company.
• New position.
• After re-org.

3. 30 Days
What Sourcing Manager Example
1. Understand your purpose and then your commitments
and expectations: what will it take to succeed?
What are your deliverables: cost, continuity of supply, quality etc
as well as what templates and tools should be used.
2. Find the right mentors First mentor – experienced and savvy person in a similar or
related role.
Second mentor – only slightly (~1 year) newer than you are in a
similar position. This is the person you can ask all the
embarrassing questions…
3. Get to know your team Present yourself and your team management and leadership
approach, start getting to know your team members: skills,
experience, approach ambitions etc.
4. Prioritize and understand what are the most important
things to learn
Focus on getting inputs from internal sources such as R&D,
Marketing, Finance etc. Be ready to prioritize or you might drown
in information – start with time sensitive items.

4. 60 Days
What Sourcing Manager Example
5. Review the strategic plans / strategies for your role Review the sourcing strategy for the category you own and start
to see what changes/additions are needed. Do this while you still
have a fresh perspective.
6. Make yourself familiar with the corporate culture and
decision making process
Meeting & email dynamics, timing punctuality, decision making
process and approach, formal vs. informal discussions, dress
code, open door vs. structured, lunch at desk or in company etc
7. Get invited to relevant meetings At first, get invited to all relevant meetings. Then, start to
prioritize and ensure you are in the proper meetings where the
relevant decisions are being made. For example – initial design
decisions.

5. 90 Days
What Sourcing Manager Example
8. Focus on building internal partnerships and figure out
how to build credibility
Make sure you start bringing value in meetings, mainly with
development partners, to ensure you start building your
credibility and reputation. This will enhance the trust and respect
your internal partners will have and will allow you (in the future)
to have the right influence.
9. Understand the short-term issues and challenges –
focus on quick wins
Focus on the opportunities where you can make an immediate
impact while also start to put in place a plan for the more
complicated items.
Decide on any org changes if necessary.
10. Meet customers, suppliers and external partners Priority is key here – start meetings external partners only when
you have real value add to the meeting even if minimal, don’t just
come to learn. First impressions are important.

6. arkraft@microsoft.com
arnon@arnonkraft.com
www.linkedin.com/pub/arnon-kraft
www.facebook.com/arnon.kraft
www.slideshare.net/ArnonK
Arnon Kraft
Senior Director for Strategic Sourcing
Microsoft
10 Tips for building a 30-60-90 day plan