September 12, 2011

Leadership Kudos and Gaffes: Two Women Leaders

Leadership Kudos this week go to German Prime Minister Angela Merkel for her courage in keeping the Euro together as Greece’s finances unravel. Germany the healthiest economy in Europe, thanks to the strength of its export business and its competitive manufacturing base, and Merkel is willing to take the political heat on the domestic front to help finance Europe’s recovery. Germany is an important role model of economic success for the United States and other developed countries to study and even emulate.

Leadership Gaffes go to Carol Bartz, who was terminated by the Yahoo board of directors. Going out with guns blazing, Bartz told Fortune Magazine, that Yahoo’s board is “a bunch of dofuses” and “they f—ed me over.” Bartz may have inherited a struggling business model, but she presided over a series of strategic missteps.  She overestimated the much-hyped search deal with Microsoft.  She failed to realize the seriousness of the company’s restructuring need and foolishly promised “no layoffs,” a promise she later reneged.  Her indecisiveness over the Alibaba deal — back and forth, ultimately to no end — seems a metaphor for her tenure as CEO.  There are no winners in this mess.