What Got You Promoted Won’t Keep You There: 7 Mistakes New VPs Make

If you’re a newly promoted Director or VP at a $100M–$700M company, here’s a hard truth:

What got you here won’t keep you here.

Your technical expertise, problem-solving ability, or sales success might have earned you the title—but they won’t sustain you in the new role. In fact, they might be the very things holding you back.

I’ve seen this story unfold again and again—both in military and corporate settings. High performers get promoted, and within weeks, they’re struggling to lead, align, and deliver at scale. If you’re in that seat, read closely.

Here are the 7 biggest mistakes new VPs make—and how to avoid them.

1. Trying to Solve Every Problem Yourself

You’re used to being the one who fixes things. But leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about framing the problem, protecting your team, and enabling others to win.

One VP I worked with ran straight at a CFO's concern without context—pulled in several directors, created confusion, and wasted hours. The issue? It wasn't even a real problem. Leaders must pause, listen, and diagnose before they act.

2. Assuming Your Team Knows What Success Looks Like

Just because you have the title doesn’t mean your team understands your standards. You have to define success, model your values, and reinforce them constantly—especially across regions or time zones.

I use a three-part core value system with my teams:
Support. Diligence. Professionalism.
These aren’t buzzwords—they’re filters for every decision. When your team knows what “great” looks like, they’ll act without micromanagement.

3. Focusing Only on Managing Up

Yes, your CEO and board expect results. But your success rises or falls based on your team. Be mission-first, but team-aligned. There is no mission without the team. Leadership is not just about numbers—it’s about mobilizing the people who deliver them.

4. Thinking Good Decisions Automatically Lead to Good Outcomes

Making a decision is easy. Seeing it through is leadership.
Ask yourself:

• Did I communicate the “why”?

• Did I give my team what they need to execute?

• Am I tracking follow-through and accountability?

Execution isn’t glamorous—but it’s the difference between spinning and scaling.

5. Trying to Lead Like You Did in Your Last Role

You can’t grunt your way through a new team. What worked before won’t necessarily work now. Leadership at this level demands you slow down, observe, and adapt your playbook to the mission and the people in front of you.

Don’t hit the “That Was Easy” button. Get into the weeds. Learn what’s broken. Then go fix it with your team.

6. Rushing to Prove Yourself

Don’t confuse movement with momentum.

Busy doesn’t equal effective. You don’t need to impress anyone by working 10 p.m. Saturdays. What matters is clarity, decisiveness, and precision. Like we say in the military:
Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

7. Treating Department Problems Like Process Problems

Many leaders assume their issues are operational or resource-based. But more often? It’s a people alignment issue.

If you treat every issue like a process doc waiting to be written, you’ll miss the root cause. Spend time with your people. Understand them. Empower them. The systems don’t run themselves—your people do.

The Deeper Issue: Insecurity in the Seat

Most of these mistakes stem from insecurity—what some call imposter syndrome. New VPs don’t feel “settled” in the weight of their role.

Let me remind you:
You’ve been given the seat. You are already the VP.
You don’t need to prove it. You need to grow into it. And that starts with the holy pause—the moment where you slow down, assess, listen, and then lead.

Ready to Step Fully Into Leadership?

If you’re feeling the tension of this transition—or you want to make sure you don’t fall into these traps—I built something for you.

👉 The Leadership Reset is a 4-week engagement where we get clarity on your leadership style, fix operational drag, and re-align your team for performance.

Click here to apply or learn more →

You don’t have to guess your way forward. Let’s make sure your next level doesn’t become your downfall.