MEMOIR | LEADERSHIP
A Carrot Suit Helped Me to Stand Tall
Costumes got me comfortable in my own skin
Everyone is staring at me.
Standing alone in front of the entire company, I set aside my nerves and focus on instilling confidence — both in the numbers I present and in myself as a leader.
The audience is attentive, and for a moment, I let myself believe I’m drawing them in with my punchy delivery. But then I remember.
I’m wearing a carrot suit.
As is company tradition, all employees are attending the annual offsite in costume. This being my first such event, having recently joined as chief financial officer, I’ve gone down the vegetable route, inspired by coworkers who have come as rabbits.
On stage in a neon-orange tunic and a crown of leafy greens, I review a raft of quarterly figures, striving to maintain gravitas despite titters in the crowd.
To emphasize my key points, I try to reference a chart projected behind me, but it’s too high for my arm to reach. Undeterred, I get on my tippy toes, extend my body, and tilt my head.
As I adeptly use my carrot top as a pointer stick, much to the delight of everyone in the room, I issue a rallying cry: “I’m confident we can hit…
