Rivera took a second to think, channeling every ounce of business strategy she had studied over the years. She knew that her answer to this question would determine whether she got hired or not.
"I don't panic," Rivera started calmly. "First, I acknowledge his anger without validating the rumor. I tell him that his concerns are top priority. I don't lie, but I deflect. I tell him that the CEO is currently in a high-level briefing regarding that exact topic to ensure stakeholder security, which explains his unavailability. I offer to patch him through to the CFO immediately, or I promise him a personal debrief with the CEO within the hour. Then, I walk into that boardroom and I slip a note to the Chairperson so she can control the narrative before the stakeholder calls anyone else."
Mr. H
