Strategic Pivot Simulation
My lead engineer resigned 14 days before a board-mandated launch. The only viable path forward was a scope cut I had publicly opposed in front of the board. The simulation tested how I handled the team, the pivot, and the recovery.
You make sharp, defensible calls under time pressure — but you default to written escalation when the stakes turn relational, and that pattern is the next ceiling on your influence.
Across the simulation you compressed the decision space cleanly and kept the board narrative intact. The cost showed up in two specific moments: the GTM partner heard the pivot through your memo rather than from you, and your check-in with the eng team optimised for status over signal. Both are recoverable, and both repeat across scenarios.