The First Board Debrief

Jennifer, the newly appointed chief design officer, discusses her tense debut presentation with CEO Peter in his Seattle office.

The First Board Debrief

Listen and choose the right answer

What was Jennifer's main worry before entering the board meeting?

• Whether the directors would actually listen to a designer
• Whether the presentation slides would crash
• Whether the CEO would cancel the meeting

How did Arthur behave during the presentation?

• He praised the design system enthusiastically
• He tested new leaders with anticipated objections
• He fell asleep during the commercial framing

What did the chair's summary do for Jennifer?

• It confused the financial director completely
• It forced Arthur to defer to expertise
• It ended the meeting twenty minutes early

What surprising news did Peter share at the end of their debrief?

• The board decided to cut the design budget by half
• The board voted to make design a standing item
• The board asked Jennifer to become the new CEO

Listen again and complete the sentences

• Peter: You survived your ____ level, and that's what counts.
• Jennifer: Frankly, one of the ____ was quite hostile about our risk appetite.
• Peter: Ah, you mean Arthur. He always tests new leaders with ____ .
• Jennifer: Well, my ____ was spiking, but I managed to hold my ground and deliver a crisp narrative.
• Peter: The ____ was brilliant because it forced Arthur to defer to expertise.

Sources: photo by Werner Pfennig on Pexels