Your First 90 Days As A Data Leader

You were promoted because you're good at the work...

...But the game has changed.

When a data leader steps into a new role, people don't wait for a strategy deck. They watch what gets prioritized, what gets protected, and what becomes acceptable. Analytics quickly becomes either a strategic partner or a reporting service. That label sticks.

This guide helps you use your first 90 days deliberately.
To earn trust, set direction, and build a team that delivers decision‑ready analytics without you burning out as the bottleneck.

What this guide is

A practical field guide for newly promoted data leaders. Focuses on how work flows, decisions get made, and common ways leaders undermine themselves by moving too fast.

Four phases:

• Days 1–14: Map reality (manager/team/stakeholder 1:1s)
• Days 15–30: One win + basic rhythms (quick wins, cadences)
• Days 31–60: Build capability (ownership shift)
• Days 61–90: Stabilize + next arc

Conversations and judgment calls over theory.​

Who this is for

Newly promoted analytics/BI/data science managers with 1–5 reports inheriting a (messy) existing team/stack. If you're overwhelmed by having to do the work as well as lead it, this guide is for you.

What you'll get out of it

By Day 90:

• Explain analytics responsibilities clearly
• Deliver 1–2 stakeholder wins
• Set boundaries that stick
• Predictable rhythms, fewer fires
• Team owns more without quality drop
• 90‑day review story ready

Includes:

• 20+ prompts/phrases
• "Say No" templates (5 scripts)
• 5 real 30/60/90 examples
• Per‑phase checkpoints

~12K words. Read 1–2 hrs. Apply 3–5 hrs/week.​

Delivered as a PDF