“Thank you so much, Ms. Johnson! I promise you won't be disappointed. I'm going to make Legacy Inc. prouder and more successful than ever before!”
“Knowing you, Chloe, I have no doubt,” Ms. Johnson says. “In fact, why don't you start moving your things into the designated Director's office? We want you to feel comfortable and confident in your new role.”
“I’ll start packing my things now.”
I hang up the phone and do a little happy dance before anyone comes in and catches me celebrating.Chloe Jackson, Director at Legacy inc.—it has a nice ring to it.Here's to new beginnings. I raise an imaginary glass in toast. After waiting a decade, I’m eager to show the world what I am capable of.
As I gaze around my current office, I pack my belongings—the framed picture of my family, the potted plant that somehow survived my less-than-green thumb, and the marketing awards. This is my chance to make a real name for myself in this business, and it starts today.Time to make my mark. I collect my cherished items with care, all while rehearsing the rousing speech I plan to deliver to the team.
I strut with purpose down the hallway toward the Director’s office.This is it. Time to take my rightful place in the company and prove that I am more than deserving of this incredible opportunity. The office is bigger than I remember, and the view to the city below is nothing short of amazing. As much as I want to celebrate, with this title comes many more responsibilities and as a woman, I need to be even more careful with everything I do. People are always watching, waiting for me to fail, so they can swoop in and take my spot. One man in particular.
Time to get to work. My fingers dance across the keyboard, composing a list of tasks I need to tackle on my first day as Director.
“Okay, let's see,” I mumble. “First, review quarterly revenue targets... then, set up one-on-ones with each team member to discuss their goals and expectations…”
“Chloe, do you have a minute?” The soft voice of my now assistant, Lucy, pulls me from my thoughts.
“Of course. What's up?”
“Your calendar is filling up, and I wanted to make sure we're prioritizing your meetings correctly.”
I laugh at first, thinking she is joking. It’s been a whole hour since I became Director, how is my schedule already packed? Yet, I don’t question her, because she is just doing her job. “Ah, thank you for checking.” I glance at the screen, noting the colorful blocks representing various appointments and commitments. I pause. This is just another obstacle to overcome. “Alright, let's move my meeting with the creative team to later in the week. I want to make sure I have enough time to get settled in and meet with everyone before diving into strategy discussions.”
“Sounds like a plan!” Lucy chirps, tapping away at her own keyboard to update my schedule.
“Thanks. I appreciate your help during this transition.”
“Of course. It's going to be amazing watching you take charge as Director. You've got this!”
The words of encouragement warm my heart, and I look back at my task list. If there is one thing I know how to do, it is facing challenges head-on. I have tackled countless marketing campaigns in my career, each more successful than the last. Managing a team and meeting revenue targets are not new puzzles for me to solve.
Next up: schedule team-building exercises and brainstorm ways to boost morale.
As Director, it is important that I sit down with my employees and managers, and let them know what I expect from them. Weekly staff meetings. Daily updates with the campaigns analytics. It’s important that I’m on top of everything, especially when it comes to marketing strategies. Pouring money into a campaign that isn’t working is detrimental and that can only be proven with digging into the analytics.
I step out of my office. “Good morning, team,” I begin. “As your new Director, I'd like to start by expressing how excited I am to work alongside each one of you. Of course, we have some big goals ahead of us, but I believe that together, we can not only meet our quarterly revenue targets but exceed them. Let's make this a quarter to remember!”
As Director Chloe Jackson, I can't wait to see just how far I can go.
3
Dixon
The sun peeks through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse apartment as I prepare for my first day as CEO of Legacy Inc. I adjust the tie with trembling hands.First day jitters, huh?It isn’t that I don’t believe I can do the job, heck I do it for other companies all the time, but this is different. This company represents my family and will be passed down to my kids, so keeping it a success is important. There is a little more stress involved than freelancing with other businesses. It is all on me for Legacy Inc. It is my turn to keep the legacy alive and continue to build upon my father’s success. The pressure to live up to his expectations gnaws at me.
“Morning, Mr. Myers,” greets the doorman with a tip of his hat as I step out into the city.
My stomach churns with nerves. I hail a cab and climb in, gripping the handle as the vehicle speeds through the streets towards headquarters. As the building looms closer, its glass facade reflecting the morning sun, I take a deep breath to steady myself. This is my chance to prove I am worthy of the title “CEO”—that I am more than just the son who has been chosen to take over the family business.
“Here we are, sir,” the cab driver announces, pulling up in front of Legacy Inc.
“Thank you.” I hand the driver a generous tip before stepping out onto the sidewalk. I gaze up at the towering skyscraper that will soon be under my command and swallow hard, trying to quell the butterflies in my stomach.Alright. Time to make your mark.I straighten my tie one last time and stride through the revolving doors of Legacy Inc., ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead and continue the legacy my family built.
As I step into the grand lobby, I take in the view. This is it; this is the day I have been preparing for since I received that gleaming, embossed envelope from business school.
“Dixon!” a cheerful voice calls out from behind him, causing him to jump. Turning around, I greet my longtime friend and new assistant, Sarah, with an infectious grin.
“Sarah! Good to see you,” I say, my nerves forgotten as we exchange pleasantries. “I still can't believe I'm here, taking over as CEO. Can you?”
