Everything is connected.
Recently, I’ve been having more and more conversations with CEOs about the layer below the executive team.
Not the C-suite itself. The VPs. The layer responsible for turning strategy into reality.
The same themes keep coming up.
One VP is doing a good job in their own area but barely works with the others. Another is strong operationally but struggles to think beyond the next quarter. A third is waiting for direction rather than helping shape it.
It raises an interesting question: Where does strategy actually sit?
Most CEOs I work with would agree that the executive team owns the why and the what.
- Why are we making this move?
- What are we trying to achieve?
The challenge is that many organizations stop there. They assume the next layer’s job is simply execution.
I don’t think that’s enough.
The leadership layer needs to own the how and the when.
- How do we make this work across multiple functions?
- When do we sequence the work?
- Where are the dependencies?
- What trade-offs need to be made?
Because strategy isn’t a straight line. It is not a journey from A to B. The best strategies are a series of reinforcing loops.
Product influences customer success. Customer success influences retention. Retention influences sales efficiency. Sales efficiency creates room for further investment in product.
Everything is connected.
That’s why strong VPs spend as much time building relationships across the business as they do leading their own function.
The VP of Product cannot operate as if product exists in isolation. The VP of Sales cannot treat revenue as somebody else’s problem once the contract is signed. The VP of People cannot think culture belongs solely to HR.
At that level, success comes from understanding the whole system, not just your corner of it.
And for CEOs, that raises the question: Are your VPs leading functions? Or are they helping lead the business?
If you’re a VP reading this, there is another side to the dynamic.
This is also the level where many talented leaders become vulnerable. You’re expected to think strategically, influence peers, build alignment, and deliver results—often without the authority that comes with a C-suite title.
When reorganizations come, the leaders who only know how to run a single silo are the ones who find themselves in the spotlight.
What does the VP layer look like in your organization right now? If you are ready to shift your leadership team from functional managers to systemic business leaders, let’s connect.
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