Import Review

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2
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4
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6
Rules your boss
won't say out loud
(not until your exit meeting)
FOR DIRECTORS & VPs IN YOUR NEW ROLE
Tell me before anyone else does
If my boss hears about your mistake before I do, I learn about it in a room full of peers
with no answer ready. The damage isn't your mistake - it's that I'm put on the spot.
→ Ensure there are no surprises, especially around bad news.
Assume every task has a deadline
I had a date in my mind when I handed it to you. I didn't say it because I assumed
that, at your level, you'd ask. You're already late and you don't know it yet.
→ Confirm the work with the date you'll deliver it.
Accept the feedback in the moment
By the time I raise something, I've already thought it through. Countering it point
by point tells me you're defending your position instead of considering mine.
→ Listen, reflect, and come back in a few days with questions or relevant facts.
Bring me your read, not just your questions
I gave you room because you're senior. Asking which way to go signals that you
need to be managed.
→ Share what you think is happening and the path you intend to take.
My work comes first, even when theirs seems urgent
In a matrix, several leaders can claim your time, and every request arrives looking
urgent. Don't let my deliverables slip because someone else asked first.
→ Treat your boss's work as the highest priority across functions.
If my peers don't trust you, I can't protect you
When I hear about you from them, it should be because you solved a problem,
not because you created one.
→ Be useful to your boss's peers early, before they've formed a view.
Follow Dora Vanourek for The First Year in a new role dora.coach

Why COGNITIVE
OVERLOAD Happens
And How To Overcome It
WHY...
HOW...
The task will take too long
Break it down with
shorter deadlines
2
The task is too difficult
Break it down into
small chunks
There are too many choices
Highlight a clear path
Too much information is
presented at once
Prioritise important
information

7 SOFT SKILLS YOUR
VP WATCHES FOR
7
Develop the People around You
Promotion requires proof you can grow others.
Your team's growth is your performance review.
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5
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2
Influence Others without Authority
Move people without position. VPs promote
operators who lead without title.
Manage Your Own Frustration
under pressure
Moments under pressure are the test.
Steady operators get more responsibility.
Respond Faster When You're Wrong
Fast acknowledgment builds more credibility.
Defending the wrong call costs more.
Read the Room's Needs Quickly
Know when to press and when to wait.
See who needs to be heard before pushing.
Handle Disagreement with Maturity
Push back without shutting things down.
Operators who fold or explode lose.
Communicate Upward Clearly
Clear, concise, conclusion-first. Your VP
shouldn't need to translate you.