The First 90 Days: What Team Leaders MUST Do to Win

Q: Why are the first 90 days so important for a new or resetting team leader?
A: The first 90 days shape both results and culture. Agents form beliefs about your leadership early, so clarity, consistency, and visible support are crucial for gaining buy-in and momentum.

Q: What’s the #1 mistake new team leaders make in their first 30 days?
A: They focus on control and try to fix everything at once. Instead, leaders should focus on clarity—defining what winning looks like, picking a few key behaviors, and anchoring the team there before making big changes.

Q: How should standards be introduced to the team?
A: The standard itself should be non-negotiable, but the support system for adopting it should be collaborative. Leaders should explain why the standard exists, what’s expected, and how agents will be supported through the change.

Q: What’s the risk of being too flexible or trying to be liked as a leader?
A: If you move the line even once, agents learn the standard is negotiable. Trust is built through predictability and follow-through, not flexibility or likability.

Q: How do you address resistance or discomfort when rolling out new standards?
A: Normalize friction and be transparent—tell your team it’s okay to feel uncomfortable and invite open discussion. Discomfort is a sign that new habits and culture are forming, not that something’s wrong.

Q: What should leaders focus on in days 31–60?
A: Reinforcement. Call out specific wins publicly, track adoption visibly, and coach through skill, clarity, or confidence gaps. Early wins should be engineered and celebrated to prove the system works.

Q: What if you already have a team and need a reset?
A: Start small and honest. Pick one standard that would make the biggest difference if everyone followed it, reset the conversation, and rebuild support before accountability. Anchor culture by tightening focus, not overhauling everything.

Q: What’s the most important leadership habit for long-term success?
A: Show up consistently, follow through on what you say, and reinforce standards and wins repeatedly. Culture is built through daily actions, not one-time announcements.

Teaser: [00:00:00] I have team leaders that come to me all the time and they say, you know, whether they’re just starting a team by the way, or they’re looking for a reset and they have a large team, they’ll say things like, my agents are lazy, or They’re not doing the work. And more often than not, what I’m really seeing isn’t a motivation problem, but it’s a leadership clarity problem, and that’s why the first 90 days of leadership adoption matters so much because this is where the leadership either gains real momentum or you quietly lose the room.

Lauren: All right, team leaders. Let’s flip the script for a second. If you had to rebuild your team from scratch or reset the one you already have, what would you do in your first 90 days? What would you touch immediately? What would you intentionally leave alone and how would you build trust before asking anyone to change how they work?

Lauren: Because the truth is, the first [00:01:00] 90 days do not just shape results, they shape culture. Today we’re breaking down exactly what strong team leaders do in that window to set expectations, build trust fast, and create early wins that compound without overwhelming their agents or B, burning themselves out.

Lauren: Welcome back to the Reside Platform Podcast everyone. I’m Lauren Holland, director of Client Experience and Operations here at Reside, and today I am joined by Brooke Ricky, someone who works closely with team leaders every single day on onboarding standards, adoption and leadership execution. Hi, Brooke.

Brooke: Hi Lauren. Thanks so much for having me. I always love being invited to join you on the Reside podcast. especially not just because we’re, we’re friends and I like to talk with you, but, especially on a topic that I’m hearing come up constantly in our industry right now, which is stepping into leadership.

Brooke: And I’ve team leaders that come to me all the time and they say, you know, whether they’re just starting a team by the way, or they’re looking for a reset, they [00:02:00] have a large team, they’ll say things like. My agents are lazy or they’re not doing the work, and more often than not, what I’m really seeing isn’t a motivation problem, but it’s a leadership clarity problem, and that’s why the first 90 days of leadership adoption matters so much because this is where the leadership either gains real momentum or you quietly lose the room.

Brooke: And quarter one is that perfect time to reset expectations, reestablish standards, and then set that tone for how the rest of the year is going to run. 

Lauren: Okay, so whether you’re launching a brand new team, stepping into leadership for the first time, or resetting expectations with an existing team, this conversation applies.

Brooke: Absolutely. 

Lauren: Okay. So Brooke, why do the first 90 days matter so much more than people think? 

Brooke: They matter because your team is forming beliefs about you long before the results show up. So they’re watching you. They’re saying, you know, do you follow through? Are you clear or are you [00:03:00] vague? And then do you notice that effort or are you only noticing outcomes?

Brooke: And most leaders don’t fail because their strategy is wrong. They might have the best strategy in the world, but they fail because adoption breaks down really early. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. It’s kind of like having kids, right? They’re always watching. Not that your agents are kids, but it’s the same principle. Your agents and staff are watching you as well, and once that happens, everything feels harder.

Brooke: Exactly, and then you end up pushing instead of leading. and then you are creating that parent child relationship where you are telling them constantly, Hey, do this, don’t do this. And that’s just not a relationship anybody wants in professionally in their business. so that’s why the first 90 days are less about doing more, but more about doing the right things consistently.

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Okay. So let’s talk about the first 30 days. What should team leaders actually be focused on here? 

Brooke: The big focus within the 30 days needs to be clarity over control every [00:04:00] single time and with all the love in the world. To my team leaders that are listening to this, this is where you often go wrong.

Brooke: Team leaders walk in with a long list of fixes because they can see that everything that could possibly be better. But the real job in the first 30 days is to answer one court question for your agents, which is. What does winning look like on this team? I don’t mean philosophically, I mean, practically.

Lauren: Okay. Say more about that. When we talk about winning, what does a good day actually look like? Is it great follow up? Is it a clean handoff from ISA to agent to then transaction coordinator? Once a contract is signed, what are we actually anchoring to? 

Brooke: Yeah, great questions. strong leaders, really, they pick a few behaviors that truly move the needle, so not everything, and they anchor the team there first.

Brooke: So this is where that structure matters. When agents know what matters and how it works day to day, confidence then goes up and that chaos and constantly putting out fires goes down. [00:05:00] 

Lauren: Yeah, the fires I’m sure are going to resonate with the many listeners here. and it’s the way those standards are introduced to the team that really matters.

Lauren: Right. 

Brooke: So much. I mean, I’ve seen leaders roll out solid standards and then immediately lose that buy-in. Not because that standard was wrong, but because that rollout felt top down and super abrupt, especially for those agents who aren’t used to operating inside clear systems. So what I see with strong leaders, that want that success and adoption, they always communicate three things, which is why this standard exists.

Brooke: What is actually expected and how the team will be supported while adopting it. And that last piece, how the team will be supported while adopting it. That’s everything. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. Because people don’t resist standards. They resist feeling set up to fail. 

Brooke: Exactly, and this is where that collaboration changes the game.

Brooke: That standard itself is non-negotiable, but [00:06:00] the support system shouldn’t be, that should be negotiable. So you can ask questions like, Hey team, what reminders would actually help you? is it me giving you a call every day? Is it me sending out an emails that be on the team meeting? Where do you see yourself getting stuck?

Brooke: And then what kind of accountability feels supportive instead of punitive? When agents help shape that, how the adoption skyrockets and that culture starts to stabilize very fast. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. What you said was just really important of, and I wanna touch on something you just said because, what agents really need is your leadership is you to show up.

Lauren: We hear all the time, accountability is the best form of love that you can give somebody. Right? And you just said, do you need me to come onto the team meetings, team leaders? If you’re hearing me. Yes, you need to show up for your team. Yes, Nick McLean still shows up for his team meetings. E, every day.

Lauren: He hosts them. He is there, he is leading the team. And if for any reason he’s not there, his next person in leadership is [00:07:00] there leading the team. And it’s clearly communicated because you are the visionaries, you’re setting them up for success. and also because agents need that buy-in and to be led with you.

Lauren: As the final decision maker, that’s the heart of the team. So Brooke, I see a lot of new leaders fall into the be liked trap. Let’s actually talk about the psychology behind that. It’s one of my favorite topics and when I have been very dearly diving into lately, people think being flexible builds trust, but what that actually builds.

Lauren: is holding the standard and holding the line. The moment you move the line, even once or twice, your team learns that the standard is negotiable.

Lauren: Not maliciously. Not intentionally, but because humans naturally test boundaries. If you bend, they know that you’re gonna bend again. 

Brooke: Absolutely. And it kinda goes back to [00:08:00] the, the kid scenario we’re talking about Ray. I mean, I let my daughter have, ice cream after dinner a couple nights this week, and now it’s become our new normal.

Brooke: So true run for her. Yeah, and, and unfortunately I caused that, but trust isn’t built through the likability. It’s really built through predictability. So teens trust leaders who say that what they’re gonna do, and then they do it consistently and they address issues early, but without that drama or strong emotion attached.

Brooke: So you don’t need to come in and be very intense with your team. You just need to be clear. 

Lauren: Yeah, I can come in pretty intense sometimes. If you’ve ever been on a call with me, I’m like, gotta do this, gotta do that. But I mean it with so much. Yeah, and also team leaders, you have to be willing to address resistance head on.

Lauren: It’s gonna happen. It’s inevitable. 

Brooke: Absolutely, and great leaders really normalize that friction instead of avoiding it. So they say, Hey guys, this might feel uncomfortable at first, and that’s totally okay. Let’s talk about it. And that level of transparency really [00:09:00] builds trust way faster than pretending that everything is smooth and going well.

Brooke: It creates that psychological safety without really lowering your standard. You still feel safe and like you can hold up to the expectations. And discomfort isn’t really a sign that something’s wrong necessarily. It’s often a signal that a new expectation, habit, or identity is really forming.

Brooke: And when leaders name that out loud, it removes the fear and replaces it with context. 

Lauren: Yeah. Thank you for elaborating on that. You really just made me pause and, and think, think it’s really important that we talk about what it actually means to get outside of your comfort zone, because it’s not a cliche.

Lauren: This is where real growth happens and where glass ceilings get broken. You are learning a new behavioral pattern and building a new habit, and of course that’s going to feel uncomfortable. I am learning that in my personal life, right? Now it is through motherhood and, and everything. It’s like building a muscle.

Lauren: It’s sore. At [00:10:00] first it hurts, but with repetition and consistency you get stronger. And, eventually what felt hard becomes the new normal. so we’re talking about 90 days here. Let’s get today’s 31 through 60. Brooke, what shifts here? 

Brooke: This is really where your reinforcement becomes your full-time job as the leader.

Brooke: So by this point, you’ve set the standard, you’ve set the expectations. Now you have to prove that it works. And early wins don’t happen by accident. They’re fully engineered. 

Lauren: Okay. What does that look like in real life? 

Brooke: It looks like leaders being very intentional about what they spotlight. So for example, instead of saying, Hey, in general, great job team, you’re saying, Hey, these three agents follow that new follow-up standard yesterday, and all of three of them booked appointments.

Brooke: And again, this is why this matters is why we’re doing it. And that connection between behavior and outcome is gonna be everything for your agents. 

Lauren: Boom. Brooke, I wanna highlight what you just said. Team leaders. It’s not just great job team. [00:11:00] Highlight the specifics, highlight the details. Hey, three agents followed the process we just rolled out.

Lauren: This is what happened. They all booked appointments within X amount of time. That is what matters. It’s such a good point, and people need to see the results and see the payoff. 

Brooke: Exactly. And the ones that are great leaders that are moving this forward during this time period, they’re calling out wins publicly.

Brooke: They’re tracking adoption visibly. So your agents know where they’re, where they stand, where they’re at, and they’re sharing real stories, even the small ones. and when I say small ones, it doesn’t have to be, you know, huge wins, but it’s can be simple like, Hey, we got a faster response time, even if it’s by a couple seconds or a minute.

Brooke: That’s to clean our hand off. Agents feeling more confident in their conversation, things like that. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. So, so good. And you just made me think, share your story, share your wins. You should be doing [00:12:00] that. This is a little off topic, but sharing it all on social media too. You’re marketing yourself, you’re marketing your team.

Lauren: Why are you the best agent for your clients to be working with? anyways. Consistency. It just really matters here. 

Brooke: Absolutely. Because if for anyone that’s had a goal before that motivation fades, right? And the reinforcement mm-hmm. Should be the thing that does not fade. So leaders should be asking themselves, who’s adopting this quickly?

Brooke: And what are they doing to adopt who is struggling quietly? And, and knowing those signs. And then is there a skill gap, a clarity gap, or a confidence gap? Because this phase isn’t about punishment, it’s about coaching, improve, and then coming from curiosity. 

Lauren: So good. I wanna pause here because I know some leaders are listening and thinking, this sounds great, but I already have a team.

Brooke: Mm-hmm. and I think that’s really important, you know, ’cause that’s a lot of our, our listeners here is they might already have that in motion. Um, so if you already have a [00:13:00] team and you don’t have clear standards or strong culture just yet, you have not missed your chance. You don’t have to blow it all up and restart.

Brooke: Culture isn’t set just once. It’s that reset through leadership. Okay? 

Lauren: So where should leaders start if they’re not at day one? 

Brooke: I would recommend starting small and starting honest. So first, pick one standard that would make the biggest difference as everyone followed it consistently. Not five, not 10, but the one thing that would move the needle the most.

Brooke: And then reset that conversation with your team. So that will sound like, Hey team, here’s what’s working. Here’s where we’re inconsistent, and here’s that standard that we are committing together to bridge that gap. 

Lauren: Hmm. And I like that it’s, we’re doing it together. It’s not just a singular, oh, do it if you want to or don’t do it.

Lauren: It’s up to you. Again, those boundaries and standards, that transparency as a team leader coming from you or even your admin, giving them, a step up in leadership [00:14:00] position as well, that transparency really matters. 

Brooke: It matters so much and really rebuilding that support before accountability, or that might be something that you find is lacking.

Brooke: You, you just might not feel supported. And so they’re not gonna really take accountability too well if they feel that way. So you need to start by asking questions like, what tools or reminders would actually help you follow this? Where do things break down right now for you and what would you, what would make this easier?

Brooke: So you could do it consistently then. Only then you reinforce it publicly and consistency consistently once you’ve heard from your agents. 

Lauren: So I, what I’m hearing you say is it’s less about starting over and more about tightening the focus. 

Brooke: Exactly. Great leaders don’t overhaul culture. They truly anchor it.

Brooke: And even if your team is years in, you can still create that clarity and consistency and trust by how you lead the next 90 days. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. So good. So here is the [00:15:00] takeaway for team leaders. ’cause there’s so many, but the, the number one is if you’re listening and you’ve made it all the way through, the first 90 days are not about control, they’re about clarity, consistency, and care.

Brooke: Absolutely. And be sure that you set the tone early. Build that trust through, follow through. So again, if you say you’re gonna do something, do it. If you, are visible, again, you’re, we’ve talked about this. Your agents want to see you. So if it’s a question of do they wanna see me more, do they want me around more?

Brooke: Yes, it’s always a yes. And create those early wins that. Prove the system works. Again, bringing visibility, sharing those small differences that you’re seeing, because culture isn’t what you announced once, it’s what you reinforce repeatedly. 

Lauren: Mm-hmm. It’s so true. And I just think of even how I personally show up each and every day.

Lauren: we all go through things in life, whether rock bottom, where we’re at the, the high [00:16:00] of our life, you know, everything’s going great. How you show up matters. You still gotta show up consistently for your people, you know? if you’re driving to work and someone cuts you off, or they’re not going as fast as you want, and it really just ticks you off, subconsciously check yourself in that moment and say, am I gonna let this ruin my day?

Lauren: Yes or no? If yes, okay, then go still put on a happy face. Usually if no, just release it, let it go, and then show up for your people and deal with it later. I’m not saying suppress your emotions. Feel it in the moment and then release it. So whether you’re stepping into leadership for the first time, or resetting expectations with an existing team, slow down, get intentional and lead with clarity.

Brooke: Absolutely. Thank you Lauren, and thank you all for joining us on the Reside Platform podcast. We will see you next time. 

Lauren: Yes. Thanks, Brooke. 

Brooke: Thank you.