The #1 Clear Sign a VP Will Fail. Be Honest With Yourself When You See It

Summary

Jason Lemkin argues that the single best predictor of a VP or C‑level executive's failure is whether they have stopped doing the core work of their function—selling, coding, marketing, or meeting customers. He illustrates how hands‑on involvement preserves market insight, credibility, and effective coaching, and explains why this hands‑on approach becomes even more critical as companies scale, especially before $250M ARR. The author advises hiring teams to test candidates by having them perform real tasks and to watch new hires' first 90 days for continued execution, warning that executives who become pure strategists will likely falter.