The Corporate Game: Navigating the Boardroom Battlefield
A CTO's Tale of Strategy, Survival, and the Hidden Dynamics of Executive Leadership
"James, we want you to interview a guy. He'll be great for the team and free you up from the mundane crap. We need you to do the "big-brained" stuff."
As soon as I received a pat on the back, I knew I was in trouble. We walked and sipped lattes like friends. We shared our vision of the company's future. It was bright. We'd make millions upon millions.
I remember the genuine nature of his eye contact. To the untrained eye, we were blood brothers. Bonded in experience. Sort of an existential connection beyond revenue and profit.
Judas tried to sell me on hiring an engineering leader who would complement me as CTO. A new VP is all I needed to make sure I could focus on the big-brained stuff. Daily management of the team was beneath me. Charts, tasks, and schedules would be the VP's job.
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