Thread by @jasonlk

A lot of CEOs now do detailed First 90 Day plans with potential VP hires, and those are great

You learn so much

But there’s something even more important — and simpler — to do:

The Top 5 Priority List

It’s a simple exercise

Ask your VP candidates, after they get to know the company, to list their top 5 initiatives

What they plan to do first

You don’t even have to ask them to force-rank them. Everyone does this without thinking.

Then, just look at he Top 5 list

Do you think this is the right list?

E.g., if you are hiring a VPM, and you don’t believe in paid search, or it’s wrong for your business ... and that’s their #1 or #2 priority. Pass.

It won’t work out

E.g., if you are hiring a VPS, and their #1 priority is building systems and process. And you are just too early for that.

Pass. They need to put points on the board, not hire an SFDC consulting agency.

E.g., if you are hiring a VPE and you need to go upmarket, and increasing velocity in features (e.g. story points) isn’t on their Top 5 list ... pass.

They won’t ever get it.

The “trick” is not to tell them what to put on the Top 5 list, and keep it simple and casual

There aren’t any >wrong< answers

It’s just, that’s all they will do

And if that’s not what you need — then, well, you need a different VP

No matter how great they look

A related post here:

saastr.com/if-your-vp-has…

And a deeper dive on doing 60-days plans with your VP ... before they start:

saastr.com/before-you-sta…