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Why do so many tech executives seem to make the actual worst decisions possible when it comes to symbolic leadership?

by rogerkirkness 3y ago

RankingMember 3y ago
inherent selfishness
kibwen 3y ago
The executive class isn't there to provide leadership, they're there to extract value.
- 1oooqooq 3y ago
  past the startup crunch phase, the CEO job is literally to rally the troops and nothing much else.
  - deelowe 3y ago
    And be the punching bag for the company when appropriate.
Veuxdo 3y ago
Keep in mind they don't write articles about executives cashing in stock in unexceptional times.
- adamjc 3y ago
  That's the point.
blibble 3y ago
not smart enough to realise that the transactions are public and it may end up in the press completely destroying their reputation in the process
- Ekaros 3y ago
  Couple millions for me would be completely worth my reputation... And how badly will this reputation prevent getting the next job?
  - blibble 3y ago
    looks really quite bad for a CFO any other officer it would probably wouldn't have any effect
klysm 3y ago
7.2 million dollars doesn’t hurt
mimikatz 3y ago
Executives aren't able to time their sales of stock to events and they shouldn't be able to as it would lead to more manipulation. It is likely the sale of stock was planned ahead of the layoff announcement timing.
- triceratops 3y ago
  As was pointed out in this comments section, they are able to time events to their scheduled sales of stock.
- code_runner 3y ago
  the only time this really makes sense (in my head at least) is selling prior to something that KNOW will tank you stock and make your shares worthless. If you just hold... sure you're making a decision to not sell, but other than looking VERY VERY bad to employees on the timing of things... the stock went up, he sold.... now if he sold a boatload of stock before a horrific earnings report... thats another story
izacus 3y ago
Because at no point in recent history has any one of them suffered any kind of consequences of being utter avatar of greed and sociopathy. Why bother when they'll even be defended like in this very thread?

Why do so many tech executives seem to make the actual worst decisions possible when it comes to symbolic leadership?

RankingMember 3y ago

inherent selfishness

kibwen 3y ago

The executive class isn't there to provide leadership, they're there to extract value.

1oooqooq 3y ago
past the startup crunch phase, the CEO job is literally to rally the troops and nothing much else.
- deelowe 3y ago
  And be the punching bag for the company when appropriate.

Veuxdo 3y ago

Keep in mind they don't write articles about executives cashing in stock in unexceptional times.

adamjc 3y ago
That's the point.

blibble 3y ago

not smart enough to realise that the transactions are public and it may end up in the press completely destroying their reputation in the process

Ekaros 3y ago
Couple millions for me would be completely worth my reputation... And how badly will this reputation prevent getting the next job?
- blibble 3y ago
  looks really quite bad for a CFO any other officer it would probably wouldn't have any effect

klysm 3y ago

7.2 million dollars doesn’t hurt

mimikatz 3y ago

Executives aren't able to time their sales of stock to events and they shouldn't be able to as it would lead to more manipulation. It is likely the sale of stock was planned ahead of the layoff announcement timing.

triceratops 3y ago
As was pointed out in this comments section, they are able to time events to their scheduled sales of stock.
code_runner 3y ago
the only time this really makes sense (in my head at least) is selling prior to something that KNOW will tank you stock and make your shares worthless. If you just hold... sure you're making a decision to not sell, but other than looking VERY VERY bad to employees on the timing of things... the stock went up, he sold.... now if he sold a boatload of stock before a horrific earnings report... thats another story

izacus 3y ago

Because at no point in recent history has any one of them suffered any kind of consequences of being utter avatar of greed and sociopathy. Why bother when they'll even be defended like in this very thread?