Hi Reader,

Can we ask you a favor? We swear we’re not abusing the Ben Franklin Effect (see below).

If you’ve been loving The Murmuration, we’d love it if you’d forward it to two or three friends or colleagues who might also be interested in this weekly read and encourage them to subscribe.

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Now, read on and enjoy this week’s edition of The Murmuration!

Each week, we share an applied tip or did-you-know to help you build knowledge and hone essential skills that help you kick butt at work and in life.

Get Started Right

The flip side of everyone getting laid off last year is that there are now a bunch of people starting—or about to start—new jobs. So, this week we’re tackling 30-60-90 day plans to help you get off on the right foot.

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

It’s a plan that helps guide your focus in the first 30, 60, and 90 days of a new job, silly! Seriously, starting a new job can be overwhelming—there is so much to do, and so much you don’t know that it can lead to paralysis, stress, and/or spinning your wheels. A plan lays out clear priorities and goals to give you an actionable roadmap through the chaos.

Why make a plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is as much for you as it is for your manager. While it certainly helps ensure that you and your boss are aligned, it can also help you stick to personal commitments and manage your wellbeing. A plan helps simplify complexity and reduce uncertainty—managing negative emotions like stress and anxiety. It provides focus, clarity, and a structured path to success, and it shows you can deliver on commitments.

What’s included in a plan?

Plans can take many forms, but generally, there are a few core components for each 30-day period:

• Focus: A single, high-level anchor statement, such as “Listen and Learn” or “Experiment and Improve.” Many sources agree that your first 30 days should focus on learning and discovery, the second on beginning to contribute or create longer-term plans, and the third on starting to execute or implement change.
• Priorities: Statements that describe your focus in greater detail, but aren’t necessarily measurable. If my focus is to “Listen and Learn,” my priorities might include “Get up to speed on my responsibilities and team culture,” “Get to know key stakeholders,” and “Familiarize myself with customer perspectives.” Stick to three or fewer.
• Goals: Specific, measurable action items like “Have a 30-minute one-on-one with each member of the team” or “Review the team handbook from cover to cover and compile a list of questions.” It can help to focus goals in key categories: learning, performance, people, and personal.
• Metrics: Evidence that you’ve achieved your goals. Metrics might include a target number of meetings or tasks completed, a particular score on a knowledge check quiz, customer feedback ratings, dollars generated, a deliverable, or something else. Think about what data will prove you’ve been successful.

What should I keep in mind?

As you are putting your plan together, consider the following advice:

• Align with existing priorities. Your plan should connect to established team and company goals. Reference the company’s mission, vision, values, and priorities as you create it.
• Include personal goals. A new job is a great opportunity to reset on practices and mindsets that help us thrive at work. Include commitments to setting boundaries, mindfulness, personal values, and more (even if you don’t share these with your manager).
• Start with the end in mind. Have a clear vision of where you want to be in 90 days. What does that look like, specifically? Design your plan with that end state in mind.
• Know what’s expected of you. Ask your manager for performance review templates, competency rubrics, or expectations for how you should be spending your time (capacity planning, anyone?). These should inform your plan.
• Less is more. Remember that the point is to simplify, not overcomplicate. We tend to underestimate how long tasks take, and the last thing you want to do is overpromise and underdeliver. Ask yourself if you are being realistic with timelines and volume.
• Look for early wins. You were hired for a reason—there are likely things you can easily improve right away. Include a few in your plan to make a great early impression.
• Stay flexible. Don’t be so enamored with your plan that you refuse to change it. It’s a living, breathing document that can be updated as you get new information.

There are about seven bajillion templates for 30-60-90 day plans out there, so feel free to browse and find one that suits you best. Or, use ours.

And if ever you want feedback or a thought partner, let us know—we’re always happy to help!

Each week, we touch on an aspect of happiness and health at work, how to build it, and how to drive positive change in the workplace.

Get Thee a Work Bestie

Ever wonder why employee engagement surveys sometimes ask if you have a best friend at work? It’s because employees with strong relationships at work have a positive impact on productivity, profitability, and other business outcomes—so it’s worth it for employers to keep an eye on.

But in addition to boosting the company’s bottom line, having friends at work can also have a significant impact on your individual happiness and health. Having strong relationships at work improves engagement, job satisfaction, and success. It also has positive effects on our immune system, longevity, and stress. Who doesn’t love that!?

Making friends can feel harder as an adult, but don’t worry, at Starling, we’ve got you covered:

Embrace self-awareness. Knowing ourselves can help us be more authentic at work, and people are drawn to authenticity. Being self-aware is a big part of emotional intelligence, which is a strong force in building relationships. Additionally, sharing similar values can be an indicator of successful relationships—so know your values and share them to attract your future bestie.

Be proactive. Don’t just sit around and wait for friends to come to you—put yourself out there. Send a quick unsolicited email with no other purpose than to compliment or say hi. Ask someone on a coffee date. Send a private message in Zoom during that group meeting. Invite someone to an event you are going to. Remember what Wayne Gretzky said: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

Be curious. People like it when they think you are interested in and care about them as a whole human. Ask questions that give them an opportunity to open up about their interests and experiences (and respect boundaries if they don’t want to share). Listen actively to their answers and keep note of important details. I’m always really touched when someone remembers the names of my partner and pets, for example.

Ask for help. Somewhat counterintuitively, when someone does you a favor, they tend to like you more as a result—it’s called the Ben Franklin Effect. You don’t need to be manipulative about it and ask for help you don’t need. Just know that this is a real thing, and don’t shy away from asking for help when you need it.

See the best in people. Our expectations of others can impact how they feel and perform. It’s a big part of why stereotype threat can be so harmful. But it can have positive effects, too. We feel inspired and motivated when someone sees the best in us, and having positive images of a partner can be a predictor of satisfaction in relationships. We all want friends who help us feel seen, celebrated, and encouraged.

With the rise of remote work, making friends can be even more challenging than ever. But having work besties is worth the effort—so get out there and get connecting!

Each week, we collect a few great reads from a variety of disciplines to help you forge new connections and gain fresh perspectives.

• ​Why Engineers Should Study Philosophy (HBR). Philosophers are expert thinkers, adept at understanding the why. In the age of AI, this skill is increasingly important for all.
• ​Neuroscience explains how diverse leaders pay an invisible ‘mental tax’ (Fast Company). On creating “fourth spaces” for leaders who not only have to meet the demands of their work but also feel pressure to mitigate stereotypes and misconceptions about their identity.
• ​Learning to be happier (Aeon). A fascinating exploration of the science of happiness, positive psychology, and our sense of self and others.
• ​Why Self-Advocacy Can Help You Become An Invaluable Collaborator (Forbes). How effective communication and transparency support your own interests and the interests of a collective.
• ​The Hidden Power of Weak Language with Alison Fragale (HerMoney Podcast). Alison covers a lot of ground on status, power, negotiation, and more–a great listen!

Each week, we highlight some of the great things going on across the Starling community. Members can click on any of the links below to explore further.

• On Tuesday, Christine, Rachel, and Clea discussed giving and receiving difficult feedback. Jeff has also been musing on this issue! Strategies included slowing down and focusing on breathing to regulate emotions and expressing gratitude for being willing to share or receive feedback.
• On Wednesday, Laura, Dawn, Clea, and Rachel discussed books they were reading for fun. Recommendations included “Strong as a Mother” by Kate Rope, “Master of Change” by Brad Stulberg, and “Work” by James Suzman.
• On Thursday, Starling members enjoyed a fireside chat with organizational psychologist, professor, author, and likeable badass Alison Fragale. Topics covered included understanding power and status and how to build both strategically. If you want another good read in your inbox, sign up for Allison’s Substack here.

Given that you made it this far, we felt you ought to be rewarded with one of Jeff’s Famous Dad Jokes:

Rachel & The Starling Team