My first board meeting

I was chuffed the day MD (Managing Director) asked me the join the Board. After he’d made the offer and I accepted, he quickly added that there was no additional money involved. I said I hadn’t been going to embarrass him by even asking. I’ve worked here for long enough.

Like most meeting, my first board meeting kicked off with some general chitchat and frivolity before everyone was gathered and caffeine needs addressed. During this, there was some general good-natured congratulations by the ladies in the room for the woman who’d selected the new guy who makes the coffees. He was definite eye-candy.

MD commented that if the women in the agency bothered themselves, there was in fact, plenty of intellectual-candy about the place. Which reminded me that when I was at school, and boys were less than kind about a fellow female’s appearance, (god they could be cruel – I really hope that’s changed since I was a teen, but I fear it probably hasn’t) we’d counter with what a great personality she had. Their response: “You can't f#@k a personality.” Not nice. For some inexplicable reason, I decided to share this (yes, I really should know better and yes, I tortured myself for days after for my own stupidity).

Another member of the board “begged to differ” and as I thought to myself, yes, you would, you’ll be proud to know this time I actually kept that to myself!

We quickly started the meeting, working our way through the pre-determined agenda. And amazingly, I was not asked to step down from the board – well, not so far anyway….

So tell me about your biggest gaffs. Can you top that?