A concrete framework for how I approach any new IT Manager role - organized into three phases: understanding the environment, building the foundation, and delivering measurable results that the organization can see and build on.
Understand the environment, the team, and the technology before touching anything.
Establish structure, close critical gaps, and earn the trust of the people I serve.
Deliver on priority initiatives and give leadership clear visibility into IT performance.
I won't arrive with a fixed agenda. I'll arrive with a notebook. The first 30 days are about building an accurate picture of the IT environment, the team, and the organization before making any changes.
No premature decisions. No assumptions carried over from prior roles. Just listening, observing, and documenting.
Infrastructure audit complete - documented inventory of all systems, devices, and network topology with identified gaps and risks
Team 1:1s complete - clear picture of team strengths, workload, morale, and what support each person needs
Stakeholder meetings complete - I know what the organization needs from IT and where the biggest frustrations are
Priority list delivered to leadership - a ranked, written assessment of what needs attention and in what order
With a clear picture in hand, I start building. This phase is about closing critical gaps, establishing structure for the team, and making IT feel like a reliable partner to the people it serves.
The organization should start noticing that IT is more responsive, more organized, and easier to work with.
Service desk operating with defined SLAs - every request is tracked, owned, and responded to within agreed timeframes
Identity and access audit complete - clean account inventory, MFA enforced, privileged access right-sized
Critical security gaps closed - the highest-risk issues from Phase 1 are resolved or have documented remediation plans with owners
Team structure and expectations clear - every team member knows their role, their priorities, and what success looks like
Reporting cadence established - leadership receives regular, meaningful IT updates with real metrics
With the foundation solid and the team aligned, Phase 3 is about delivering on the strategic priorities and laying the groundwork for the next 12 months.
Leadership should be able to see clearly what IT has accomplished and where it's heading.
12-month IT roadmap delivered - a clear, prioritized plan aligned to the organization's calendar and strategic goals, reviewed and approved by leadership
Security awareness program launched - all staff trained, phishing simulation baseline established, compliance documentation in order
End user satisfaction measurably improved - response times are down, common frustrations are resolved, and IT is seen as a reliable partner
IT performance metrics visible to leadership - monthly reporting in place, SLA compliance tracked, and roadmap progress communicated clearly
Team operating with autonomy and accountability - clear ownership, documentation in place, no dependency on me for day-to-day decisions
The 90-day plan is the roadmap. These are the principles that guide how I execute it - in any organization.
IT exists to make the rest of the organization's work easier, faster, and more secure. When IT is doing its job well, it's invisible - systems just work, people get help quickly, and leadership isn't worrying about technology. Getting there takes deliberate effort, strong process, and a team that takes ownership.
I've built and rebuilt IT operations across distributed SaaS companies and large multi-site organizations. The environments differ, but the fundamentals don't: clear accountability, honest measurement, and a genuine commitment to serving the people who depend on you.
My Navy background gave me a simple framework that carries into every IT role - take ownership, communicate clearly, and don't let problems fester. That discipline, combined with 10+ years of hands-on enterprise IT leadership, is what I bring on day one.
The first 30 days are for understanding, not fixing. Decisions made without context create more problems than they solve.
Leadership and staff should always know what IT is working on and how it's performing. No black boxes.
Technology exists to support the mission. If IT is a source of friction, that's our failure to fix - not the user's problem to work around.
No single points of failure - in systems or on the team. Good IT keeps running even when things go wrong.
SLAs, resolution times, satisfaction scores - if we're not measuring it, we can't improve it or prove it's working.
I'd welcome the chance to talk through how this plan applies to your specific environment and what I'd prioritize on day one.