The Scenario: 

• Sean, a new leader of a small team of experienced project managers, shows up for his weekly 1:1 with his manager, Annette.
  
• “Sean, you look really tired.”
• “Yeah, a late night.”
• “Why?”
• “I was working on the Artemis project plan.”
• “Isn’t Artemis Jac’s project?” Annette asked.
• “Yup.”
• “Why are you working on Jac’s plan?”
• “Well, Jac isn’t doing it the way I’d do it, so I told Jac I’d take a cut at it.”
• “Jac is really competent, what’s wrong with her plan?”
• “Well, it’s…” Sean fumbled for words that would justify his action.
• “Sean, do you trust Jac?”
• “Of course I do.”
• “Really?” Annette asked.
• “Um, yeah.”
• “Sean, I’m not sure that your words match your actions.”

The Scenario: 

1. Frank has just been promoted to project manager.
2. Frank had worked under several project managers and is determined to show others what a good project manager is all about.
3. Iris is a peer project manager with many years of experience managing very complex projects.
4. Frank’s manager has asked him to meet with Iris as a peer mentor to help him on his first project as the project manager.
5. Frank reluctantly agrees to meet with Iris, believing he is equipped to manage the project without her help.
6. Frank meets with Iris several times, each time leaving the conversation thinking what he knows is sufficient and Iris’ advice isn’t necessary.
7. Several major issues crop up on Frank’s project that Iris had warned him about and he didn’t take her advice.
8. Seeing that Frank’s project is in trouble and he is not getting it back on track, Frank’s manager removes him as project manager and gives the project to Iris.
   

Leadership lessons delivered in the keynote include:

1. Humor - Credibility = Doofus
2. Knowledge – Listening = Arrogance
   
3. Action – Integrity = Distrust
   
4. Activity – Focus = Randomness
   
5. Wisdom – Experience = Theory    
   
6. Ability – Effort = Inaction
   
7. Leadership – Inspiration = Administration
   
8. Charisma – Conviction = Crooked Politician
   
9. Courage – Predictability = Recklessness
   
10. Smarts – Direction = Absent Minded Professor
    
11. Communication – Candor = Storyteller
    
12. Decisiveness – Empathy = Ruthlessness
    

In 1985, The Coca-Cola Company introduced a new formula for its Coca-Cola product, calling it “New Coke.” Consumer reaction to the new formula was negative, and within three months the original formula was revived and rebranded as “Coca-Cola Classic.” The company was faced with a decision-- keep the new formula and try to change consumer perception or abandon the product. The New Coke product was ultimately discontinued in July 2002. As the company navigated their choices, the alternatives were about how to recover from a bad situation, with its management faced with minimizing a profit hit and negative consumer sentiment.  Their decision path ultimately worked out well (with some speculating that New Coke was a marketing ploy to stimulate sales), but the decisions along the way were painful choices meant to minimize loss.