The new Christmas Carol
With the ghost of technology past and technology that never quite made it.
Although I see Ballmer more as a poltergeist with his chair throwing ability
Candidates for the next Microsoft CEO’s post are reportedly perturbed by the fact they could have Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates looking over their shoulder. The Wall Street Journal reports “at least some” of the external executives “have expressed concerns about being hamstrung” if the duo continue on the board. According to …
Just look at the antics of people like Steve Jobs and Larry Ellison to see how it works in reality.
In theory, yes, the board is in control on behalf of the owners, i.e. the shareholders; but as the CEO usually has patronage it is likely that the board will be filled with like-minded fellow travellers and yes-men.
Oh, and yes, Jobs did get pushed out by Apple's board and how well that worked out
Absolutely! Any one who gets this is used to politics and big egos and can control them, if not they would not have got to a position where they would be considered
The three blokes i have met at anything like a level to fill this post come with a degree of 'do the fucking hell wot I say' that pushes any regular MD out of the room.
One of IBM's consistent characteristics is CEO succession planning from inside the ranks. That only failed to produce a CEO once that I recall, back in the 90's when the proverbial was hitting the fan and an outside shock was needed.
Succession planning is surely part of CEO 101. The lack of effective succession planning seems to be another of Ballmer's (and the board's) major weaknesses (unless there was a plan that was derailed by unforseeable circumstances?).
Gates and Ballmer are both big shareholders. Whether they're on the board or not, they'll be billion dollar pains in the arse. In the event, it may be better to have them in the tent pissing out. But any new boss will need even bigger shareholders in their own corner, or they will get nothing done.
MSFT has so far failed Succession Planning 1. This is no way to run a public company.
When Ballmer announced his retirement, the share price went UP, yet they still want him around? Dumb bastards deserve whatever they get.
As for any potential CEO, being worried. I don't blame them. The new guy is just going to be a new scapegoat unless he can be allowed to turn some serious stuff around.
Perhaps this is all a big plan. Hire in a new guy, but hamstring him so badly he can't do anything. In 5 years time Ballmer comes back and does a Jobsian return.
Hey, I said that's a possible plan, not that it would work. Ballmer and Gates are so badly deluded about Ballmer's capability that they probably think this would work.
The main thing is, MS still needs a massive and probably painful overhaul if they want to be anything other than a (gigantic but still) declining cash cow business. Any CEO going in with the intent of making that happen knows that the Old Guard WILL be a problem when he/she starts making drastic changes to their 'baby'.
I disagree with most of your script
"The main thing is, MS still needs a massive and probably painful overhaul if they want to be anything other than a (gigantic but still) declining cash cow business"
Yes a change, but maybe not so drastic. Firstly what will be their chosen new direction? Once they have decided what that is the amount of change will become apparent.
I think you are making a lot of assumptions on where they will go, you are making those assumption based on incomplete knowledge.
You say they are a declining cash cow business - I read their figures and diagree with the declining - cash rich most certainly - but how do you read their numbers and say the business is declining?
Next - what Old Guard - that is a rather parochial and narrow view. Maybe you and I will disagree on the relatove pleasantness of the current main names - but I hope we agree the gurrent people have run a very very big company and unlike many other big companies in the industrial age or the IT sector, its still here and still doing business, they have the smarts to get it this far - why not further?
Anyone who accepts the job will have the support of the board - or they will not be accepted - and their strategy will be known by the major existing influencers or they will not be accepting the job. This is not a job interview for a junior manager where the company policy dictates mostly what the new hire will do. This is about getting some one who has a vision of where the company needs to go and the strength of will and character to take it there.
This is why they are looking at people like Mullaly , he came into Ford - which is way more influenced by one stockholding family and bunch of big egos - but he made a change. What is specifically different at Microsoft?