5 thoughts on “Carol Bartz on Yahoo's Board: doofuses”
Other candidates for worst board in the country include HP and Intel. Those companies at least have technology and resources that their boards can squander. Yahoo is just a website, with little more than a brand name and a user base with no obstacles (like cost) to leaving. It’s hard to fault Yahoo’s board for not figuring out the next big thing, but HP keeps hiring the wrong people, and making the wrong decisions. Intel keeps milking their cash cow, and the board never cries over all that milk that is spilled down the drain. Yahoo has nothing that other ad-supported websites don’t have, while HP and Intel have lots of things other companies don’t have access to. Their boards may not be doofusses, but they are pretty incompetent.
This is more than Intel/HP/Yahoo board problem (though I do agree with the comment that HP must have the worst). Corporate boards have becometo a club. You put your buddy on your board and he/she does the same. Everyone gets a nice trip (especially those on boards of CA companies), expenses, and a nice check for not doing much. What happens if you take it seriously and really try to do your job? You get bounced for making waves. That feedback loop creates a Darwinian situation where board members evolve into sponges.
She may be right about the board, but she would be more credible if she took some responsibility for the way the company has bled talent and shown no credible strategy for the past couple of years.
Other candidates for worst board in the country include HP and Intel. Those companies at least have technology and resources that their boards can squander. Yahoo is just a website, with little more than a brand name and a user base with no obstacles (like cost) to leaving. It’s hard to fault Yahoo’s board for not figuring out the next big thing, but HP keeps hiring the wrong people, and making the wrong decisions. Intel keeps milking their cash cow, and the board never cries over all that milk that is spilled down the drain. Yahoo has nothing that other ad-supported websites don’t have, while HP and Intel have lots of things other companies don’t have access to. Their boards may not be doofusses, but they are pretty incompetent.
I am not sure about Intel. They are victim of their own past and are unable to think in mobile terms.
HP, I agree needs a new infusion.
This is more than Intel/HP/Yahoo board problem (though I do agree with the comment that HP must have the worst). Corporate boards have becometo a club. You put your buddy on your board and he/she does the same. Everyone gets a nice trip (especially those on boards of CA companies), expenses, and a nice check for not doing much. What happens if you take it seriously and really try to do your job? You get bounced for making waves. That feedback loop creates a Darwinian situation where board members evolve into sponges.
She may be right about the board, but she would be more credible if she took some responsibility for the way the company has bled talent and shown no credible strategy for the past couple of years.
I’m pretty sure the plural should be “doofii”