Patty ran Approach C — exploratory, feeling you out, building her case. She described a Product Trainer role and left with everything she needs to go to Chris Murray tomorrow. This wasn't an interview. It was a VP completing her fit assessment to attach to a business case she's already built.
Product training — structured enablement on PrePass products across the org
Upskills on product — ongoing capability building, not just onboarding
Onboarding — including acquisition integration (FleetDrive 360 has no structured PrePass intro)
Succession planning — framed as talent management, not a training topic
Cross-org coverage — up and down every line of business
Patty called the two roles "best friends" — complementary, coexisting. MCTE (under Stephanie Wilkinson / Customer Success) covers customer-facing training. This role covers internal. Two parallel structures being stood up. The Kelsey → Patty coordination today looks like a friendly handoff — they sorted out which org you'd land in.
Patty and Michael completed a needs analysis this week.
Ken Solheim (Total Rewards) is working on role description and comp.
Comp target: midpoint of the band. Patty knows your current comp. Confirmed it would be a bump.
Patty told you: "I have enough now." Your conversation completed her fit story.
Apr 8 (tomorrow) — Patty goes to Chris Murray with the business case in her one-on-one.
Chris will either pull the trigger or want another round with SLT.
Patty said: "Once Chris moves on it, it will go fast."
You told her: if you don't hear back by Tuesday Apr 14, you'll schedule something.
The role title leans doer. The scope is a driver's scope. Succession planning, talent management, acquisition integration, cross-org coverage — those aren't content production tasks. That's someone who diagnoses organizational capability gaps and builds systems to close them.
Patty may be packaging a driver-scope role under a doer title to make it an easier sell to Chris. Lower title = lower comp band = faster approval. She's done this dance for 25 years in HR.
"Midpoint" on a Product Trainer band is different from midpoint on a Manager band — even if the work is identical. The title determines the comp band. Watch this when specifics come up.
The frame for that conversation: "The scope you described — succession planning, cross-org coverage, acquisition onboarding, partnering with Michael — that's program leadership. I want to make sure the title reflects the scope so it has credibility across the org when I'm working with department heads."
Don't chase Patty. Your visibility comes through the Michael sessions. Every Wednesday collaboration is a proof point that lands on Patty's desk indirectly.
Apr 9 (Wed): Normal Michael working session. Light-touch awareness check — confirm he knows the needs analysis went to Patty. Don't fish. He co-authored it; he'll keep you in the loop.
Patty named the acquisition gap specifically. If anyone asks "What would you do first?" — FleetDrive 360 onboarding is a perfect Day 1 answer. It's visible, urgent, and proves the function immediately.
Frame: "There are employees from the acquisition who have no structured understanding of PrePass's mission, products, or how the two companies connect. That's a quick win that demonstrates the function."
Let her initiate. If she reaches out, share a high-level read: Patty is working on something complementary, you're interested. Don't overshare on comp or title.
Kelsey's value now is as a cross-org champion who can validate you from Customer Success if Chris or SLT needs endorsement.
If Chris greenlights, Patty said it moves fast. Have your questions ready:
→ Reporting structure confirmation · Budget for tools/Articulate licenses · Relationship to MCTE role · First 90 days expectations · Title discussion
Process moves to formal posting (Isaiah Love). Comp conversation happens — title matters. Be ready to move quickly.
Most likely
Not a no — "build more consensus." Keep building Track 1 & 2 deliverables. Michael's endorsement in SLT materials carries weight.
Possible
Unlikely given the investment (needs analysis, comp work, Kelsey coordination). MCTE posting under Stephanie is still live. No doors closed.
Unlikely
The "best friends" scenario. You'd choose or they'd figure out a bridge. Don't raise this — let them design it. Be the obvious answer for whichever lands first.
Future play
| Date | Event | Your Move |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 7 (Today) | Patty meeting complete | Debrief captured. No outreach needed. |
| Apr 8 (Wed) | Patty → Chris Murray one-on-one | Nothing. This is her meeting. |
| Apr 9 (Thu) | Michael working session | Normal collaboration. Light awareness check. |
| Apr 9–13 | Waiting period | Build Track 1/Track 2 deliverables. Stay visible through the work. |
| Apr 14 (Tue) | Decision gate | If no word from Patty, schedule follow-up as promised. |
| Ongoing | Kelsey thread | Let her initiate. Respond warmly if she does. |
A VP of HR with a direct line to the President built a needs analysis, engaged her Total Rewards manager on comp, used your conversation to complete a fit assessment, and told you she has enough to go to Chris. That's not exploratory anymore — that's pre-offer engineering. Stay steady, keep building, and be ready to move when it lands.