The 30-Day Verdict: Is Your New VP of Sales Going to Work Out?
The pipeline hasn't moved yet, and it shouldn't have. But there's already enough to go on, if you know where to look.
Most CEOs watch the wrong signals
- False signals: pipeline hasn't moved yet, the team seems to like them, they're confident in exec meetings.
- Real signals: they can name who's carrying the number, they've changed a process not just watched it, they ask harder pipeline questions than you do.
Four honest questions to ask at day 30
- Has this person told you something you didn't want to hear yet? If every update has been good news, they're either managing you or haven't looked closely enough.
- Can they explain specifically why each rep is above or below plan, not just that they are?
- Have they made one real decision, a process change, a deal call, a people call, versus thirty days of "still assessing"?
- Are reps starting to mention them unprompted in your 1:1s, for better or worse?
- If you had to bet your own money on this hire today, would you bet it went well? Not hope. Bet.