When looking at a problem, I have a simple framework that usually helps me evaluate and pinpoint what’s wrong. Is it People, Product, Playbook, or Process (or some combination thereof)?

When the 4 P’s are all aligned and functioning well, great performance follows. And if we aren’t hitting numbers or executing well, then something within the 4 P’s isn’t right.

“Manage the cause, not the result.” ~W.E Deming

You may be familiar with the 4 P’s of Marketing. I’ve come to think of People, Product, Playbooks, and Process as the 4 P’s of SaaS.

People

Often, we think we have the right people in the right seats on the bus. Until one day we realize we don’t. We’ve held on to people who didn’t grow with the organization. We hired poor culture fits. We hired based on anticipated needs versus actual needs. When you have a high-performing team, you just know it. So, if it doesn’t feel like you have a high-performing team, you probably don’t.

“…leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances.” ~Jim Collins

What are some other symptoms of not having the right people in the right roles, doing the right things?

• Moving people around constantly trying to find the right spot for them.
• Managers who aren’t fully trained or equipped to manage.
• Lack of accountability and transparency.
• Unclear ‘chain of command’.
• Lack of trust in each other and in the organization itself.
• Hodgepodge org chart cobbled together over the years to patch over problems or shore up weaknesses.
• High turnover (both voluntary and involuntary).
• Lack of alignment and clarity around the mission, vision, strategic initiatives, and goals.

Product

“You can always feel when product/market fit isn’t happening. The customers aren’t quite getting value out of the product, word of mouth isn’t spreading, usage isn’t growing that fast, press reviews are kind of ‘blah’, the sales cycle takes too long, and lots of deals never close. And you can always feel product/market fit when it’s happening. ~Marc Andreessen

A startup is dead without a great product and product-market fit. This is fundamental, and the symptoms are clear.

• Elusive product-market fit, always feeling like it’s right around the corner.