Cathie Black, the former Conde Nast exec who NY Mayor Bloomberg picked for Schools Chancellor resigned today. It wasn't much of a surprise. She'd had a tough go from the get go. But top execs everywhere should take note of what did her in. Black couldn't relate to her audiences. There's no question that not for profit chiefs, and politicians..let alone the parents of city school children...were not a natural for this corner office queen, but she might have bridged the gap with examples, specific stories of what she did and didn't like in the system. Reporters who covered her 3 month tenure said she constantly spoke at a "high level"..the importance of management, accountability..blah blah to most ears. She was unable or unwilling to give examples. Examples or stories make people picture, help them relate and thus remember what you say. This is one of the biggest challenges for many of my clients. They're concerned granular stories are fluff. Stories could have turned an F for this schools chancellor into..well, a chance to a make a go of it.
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