On Maria’s first day on the job, she attended her first executive team meeting. She had met each of the members of the executive team during the interview process, but today was her first meeting as a member of the team. She had some thoughts about how each member of the team might react to her ideas, but she was keeping an open mind and hoped that they would all be receptive.

Will Peres opened the meeting. “I’d like to officially welcome Maria Green as our chief people officer.”

Maria wondered how her new title would be received. She also suspected that Bobby Rawlings, the CFO, knew that she was making as much as he was. His full name was Robert ...

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