You're a director who wants to make VP. You're delivering results, your team trusts you, and you're ready for the next level. But no one has told you what actually needs to change to get there.
This is by far the hardest jump to make on the corporate ladder. The skills that made you a great director (owning the work, knowing the details, getting things done) won't on their own get you to VP. And most companies don't explain the difference.
When I made the move, there was no VP training. It took me a while to understand what operating at this new level actually meant. Today, I'm the Chief Commercial Officer of a global brand. This is Part 1 of a three-part series on how to make the shift from Director to VP.
Here are two things I wish I'd understood sooner:
1. Your job is no longer to have all the answers
As a director, being the person with the answers is often what got you promoted. You know the work, you know the details, and when something goes wrong, you can fix it.
At the VP level, your job changes. It's no longer to have all the answers. It's to help your team find them.
When someone comes to you with a problem, try not to jump in and solve it. Instead, ask:
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"What do you recommend?"
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"What options have you considered?"
Then listen, and build on their thinking. You might add a perspective they're missing or push them to go further, but let the solution start with them.
This doesn't mean stepping back from responsibility. You're still there to provide direction and make the tough decisions. It's still your job to reach the destination. But you also need to give your team space to think and lead. A VP who solves every problem becomes the bottleneck. A VP who develops problem-solvers can scale.
2. Your job means seeing around the corner
As a director, you're often focused on execution: getting a project across the finish line, hitting the deadline, delivering the result.
As a VP, you need to be thinking about what's coming next. That means regularly asking:
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Where are we headed?
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What could get in the way?
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What does the team need to be ready?
This kind of thinking rarely happens on its own. The day-to-day will always fill your calendar if you let it. So build it in on purpose.
Start by setting aside time each week to step back from the day-to-day. Look at the next three to six months and ask yourself: "What do I need to be paying attention to now?" Write down what you notice. Over time, you'll start spotting risks and opportunities before they show up in a meeting, and that's exactly what leaders look for in a VP.
It takes practice
Making this shift takes practice. You don't need to have it all figured out on day one. Start with one conversation where you ask before you answer, and one hour this week to look ahead.
Follow along for Part 2, where we'll talk more about making the move from Director to VP.
Every Wednesday, I share a piece of career and leadership advice I've learned working for some of the world's biggest brands. Follow along on Instagram for Work Tip Wednesday.
