# CEO expectation mismatch before a product release — behavioral interview question

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Source: https://www.aced.io/questions/380/handling-ceo-expectation-mismatches-product-release
Source observed: 2026-11-05T00:21:11.125Z
Last checked: 2026-11-05T00:21:11.125+00:00
Indexed: 2026-11-07T00:20:39.37+00:00

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# You're presenting to the CEO close to a product release and what you present mismatches their expectations, what do you do?

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## Question details

- **Interview type:** Behavioral
- **Interview count:** 1 interview
- **Reported last asked:** 5 years ago
- **Company association:** [Sony](https://www.aced.io/questions?company=sony)
- **Category:** [Behavioral](https://www.aced.io/questions?type=behavioral)

This question asks how a product manager should respond when a presentation to the CEO, held close to a planned product release, reveals that the proposed product or presentation does not match the CEO's expectations. Use it to practice explaining how you would clarify the mismatch, align stakeholders, assess release implications, and communicate a reasoned path forward.

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## Related questions

- [What do you do when a product cannot meet the release date?](https://www.aced.io/questions/339/handling-product-release-delays)
- [As a PM, what actions did you take after releasing a product?](https://www.aced.io/questions/407/pm-actions-after-product-release)

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