A couple of articles re: Yahoo’s new CEO – Marissa Mayer — caught my eye.
The first, in Business Week, included the quip of the week:
Jordan Rohan, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus characterizes Mayer’s move from wealthy, tech-savvy Google to browbeaten Yahoo as “a little bit like the mayor of Palo Alto being asked to run the city of Detroit.”
A 2nd article titled “Marissa Mayer Stares Down ‘Glass Cliff’ at Yahoo” got my attention
Glass cliff ?
What’s that?
It’s a phrase coined by a couple of Brit researchers who noticed the tendency of troubled organizations to choose female leaders in times of acute crisis.
And, when women are recruited at times of crisis, the deck is stacked against them, and often the companies continue to slide.
“The data are pretty incontrovertible. These are often impossible situations where it’s hard to imagine anyone can succeed.”
So, why do foundering companies tend to bring in women when the going gets rough — and why do women accept such treacherous assignments?
According to the clinical psychologists, in times of crisis, people choose women leaders because they believe that such stereotypically male characteristics as intransigence and competitiveness won’t help in a turnaround.
OK, but why do women accept these impossible assignments?
Opportunity.
Mayer might have waited for a CEO spot in a less troubled company than Yahoo, but that could have taken years or never happened at all.
Some Silicon Valley observers have speculated that it made sense for her to take the job because she may have topped out at Google.
“The CEO job at Yahoo may not be a great job or a doable job, but it’s the C-suite.”
Ken’s Take: A tough challenge taken on by a well qualified exec. Unlimited upside and virtually no downside. Why not give it a rip?
The Homa Files 