The Sign of a Weak VP: Blaming Others and Weak Performers

Name: The Sign of a Weak VP: Blaming Others and Weak Performers
Uploaded: 2023-09-15T14:15:03+00:00
Duration: 52 s
Channel: Jason M. Lemkin
Description: In this excerpt from his YouTube video, Jason M. Lemkin explains that a VP who routinely blames other departments (e.g., sales blaming marketing…

15 Sept 2023 · 1 min

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In this excerpt from his YouTube video, Jason M. Lemkin explains that a VP who routinely blames other departments (e.g., sales blaming marketing, marketing blaming budget, product blaming engineering) is displaying weakness. A strong VP takes responsibility, even if they voice complaints. Lemkin also stresses that top-performing VPs of Sales act quickly—within the first 30‑45 days—to identify and retain top sellers while removing weak performers. Keeping all staff, especially under‑performers, or seeing the only good people leave, signals a very weak sales leadership. The overall message is that accountability and decisive talent management are core hallmarks of effective VP leadership.

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As soon as it's some other department's fault and not yours, as soon as sales blames marketing or marketing blames budget or product blames engineering, that's a sign of a weak VP. A weak VP always takes responsibility, even if they complain or grumble a little bit. So that's just a terrible sign. Firing the wrong way. No one, look, no one wants to fire good people, but the best VPs of sales know when to and when not to, because it's instantly accretive. What you want to see in a great VP of Sales is when they join, in the first 30 to 45 days, they've, they've focused on the top performers and moved out the weak performers. You've got to see this. If they keep everybody, including the weak performers, that's a really, really weak sign in a VP of Sales. And if someone good or the only good people quit, oh man, you're in trouble. Because what do you do as a first VP of Sales team?