The First 90 Days Kit Get instant access — $19.99 $19.99

Managing Former Coworkers

The first 90 days after you start managing people who used to be your peers.

The words for Monday, the rules for what not to change, and a week-by-week sequence through day 90. A 36-page PDF you can open tonight.

One-time purchase · Instant PDF · 30-day money-back guarantee

Back cover: You got the promotion. Now you have to lead your friends. Page 7: Five myths about authority, with Gallup research on managers Page 24: the seven levels of delegation Front cover: Managing Former Coworkers, The First 90 Days Kit
Front cover, two pages from inside, and the back cover.

The problem

You already know the team. That is exactly what makes this hard.

Most management advice assumes you are a stranger arriving at a new team. You are not. You know who works late, who vents at lunch, and who wanted the job you got. A generic 30-60-90 plan will not tell you what to say in the first 1:1 with a friend — or what to leave alone in week two.

Wing those three and the team decides who you are before you do. This kit is the sequence for the weeks when that is still yours to shape.

From the kit · Chapter 2

This is the announcement. You can say it on Monday.

Not a summary of what a good announcement contains. The words, from the PDF, ready to adapt to your voice.

Team announcement · adapt to your voice

“As you’ve heard, I’ll be leading the team from today. I know this changes things between us, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. For the next few weeks my priorities are simple: keep our work on track, meet with each of you one-on-one, and listen before I change anything significant. If something is urgent, come to me directly. I’d rather hear it early.”

Do in the first 72 hours

  • Meet your manager before you message the team
  • Send a short, specific announcement
  • Book one-on-ones with everyone within ten working days
  • Speak privately to anyone who also applied

Leave alone

  • Reorganizing meetings or roles “to show leadership”
  • Promising raises or titles you cannot deliver
  • Venting about the team to friends who now report to you
  • Saying “nothing will change between us”
Get instant access — $19.99

The rest of the scripts are in the PDF, including the private conversation with the person who also wanted the job.

Before & after

Same promotion. Very different first 90 days.

Without a plan

  • Wing the announcement and hope the room reads it well
  • Search “first 1:1 questions” at 11pm on Sunday
  • Change too much in week two — or freeze and change nothing
  • Treat friends softer than everyone else, and the team notices
  • Arrive at day 90 with no clear story for your boss

With the kit

  • Say the announcement instead of inventing it in the hallway
  • Have the private conversation with the person who also applied
  • Use listen-vs-change rules so week two is not a purge or a freeze
  • Give feedback a friend can hear: situation, behavior, impact
  • Walk into day 90 with a page your boss can actually read

What’s inside

A chapter-by-chapter sequence you can open tonight and use tomorrow.

36 pages. Seven chapters. An operating kit, not a blog summary. Each chapter ends with a review page you write in.

36pages
7chapters
20+scripts
13weeks
  1. 01
    The Peer-to-Lead ShiftWhy this transition is uniquely hard before day one
  2. 02
    The First 72 HoursThe announcement, your boss, and what not to do
  3. 03
    Week 1: Listen FirstFirst one-on-ones and a map of the relationships
  4. 04
    Weeks 2–5: PredictabilityListen vs change, feedback to friends, new social norms
  5. 05
    Weeks 6–9: Improve the SystemDelegation, psychological safety, one real improvement
  6. 06
    Weeks 10–13: Lock It InTeam operating system, fairness audit, the day-90 review
  7. 07
    The ToolkitScript library, question banks, recovery playbook

Grounded in leadership research — Gallup, Linda Hill, SCARF, Tuckman, SBI, Radical Candor, Project Aristotle, Project Oxygen — paraphrased and attributed. One composite case study, Priya, is followed across the full 90 days.

Instant PDF

Get instant access. Open it before Monday.

You are not buying a theory of leadership. You are buying the words for Monday and a sequence through day 90.

  • The PDF, immediately, after checkout
  • The day-one script and the first-72-hours checklist
  • Print-ready US Letter, with chapter reviews you write in
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Educational management resource — not legal, HR, or employment advice. Follow your company’s policies where they differ. Checkout is processed by Gumroad.

Managing Former Coworkers:
The First 90 Days Kit

$19.99one-time

Get instant access — $19.99

Instant PDF download · Personal use · 30-day money-back guarantee
You may briefly leave this page to complete payment.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who is this kit designed for?

First-time managers who now lead 3–12 former peers — often in tech, operations, agencies, or professional services — and need a sequence for the next 13 weeks, not another generic plan.

Who is it not intended for?

Experienced managers moving into a brand-new team with no prior relationships, or anyone looking for legal, HR, or termination guidance. Those topics are deliberately out of scope.

How does this differ from a free 30-60-90 day plan?

A free plan lists goals. This is a 36-page operating kit built for one situation: leading people who knew you as a peer. It includes seven chapters, a week-by-week sequence, scripts you can say out loud, and a review page at the end of each chapter. The announcement on this page is from Chapter 2, so you can judge the writing before you buy.

Where should I begin after purchasing?

Start with Chapter 2. Read the team announcement aloud once, then complete the first-72-hours checklist with names and dates. Print that page if you want it on your desk the next morning.

Does it apply outside the technology sector?

Yes. The guidance applies to any first-time manager leading former peers, including operations, agencies, professional services, and small teams inside larger organizations. The situations are workplace situations, not industry-specific practices.

How is the PDF delivered?

Immediately after payment, Gumroad provides a download link on screen and by email. The file is a print-ready US Letter PDF that works on any laptop, tablet, or phone.

How is payment processed?

The payment form opens on this page and payment is completed through Gumroad’s secure checkout. Your card details are handled by Gumroad and are never shared with us.

What is your refund policy?

Every purchase includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. If the kit isn’t useful to you, email us within 30 days of purchase and we will refund you in full.

Instant PDF · 30-day money-back guarantee

Get instant access — $19.99