THE QUESTION
Facebook's leadership: Time for an update?
The ongoing privacy controversy at Facebook raises the familiar dilemma of what to do when fast-growing startups threaten to outgrow the management abilities of creative young founders.
The Google guys got kudos for bringing in industry veteran Eric Schmidt as CEO, but things didn't work out as well when Pepsi's John Sculley took the reins from a young Steve Jobs at Apple. What's the leadership wisdom here?
Posted by Steve Pearlstein and Raju Narisetti on June 8, 2010 6:13 AM
FROM THE PANEL
Zuckerberg's empty-nest syndrome
And as parents will tell you, there is a great sense of accomplishment not in raising children, but watching them handle challenges on their own.
Posted by Robert Goodwin, on June 9, 2010 2:58 PM
What COO Sheryl Sandberg brings
If the examples of Google and Apple demonstrate anything, they point to the need to support innovative founders.
Posted by Amy M. Wilkinson, on June 9, 2010 2:46 PM
Facebook's urgent task
Facebook must retain the creative drive and bold innovation that gave it life while simultaneously ensuring that it will have a culture of ethical practices and trustworthy service.
Posted by Katherine Tyler Scott, on June 9, 2010 12:59 PM
Step up or step aside
Fred Smith founded Federal Express in 1971 - and he still runs it today with 280,000 employees.
Posted by Michael Useem, on June 8, 2010 5:01 PM
groupthink@facebook.com
How did Facebook -- or its leader -- become fixated on such a complex non-user-friendly solution as the only possibility?
Posted by Amy Fraher, on June 8, 2010 3:42 PM
Seed planters not bean counters
The wise entrepreneurs know when to exit.
Posted by Yash Gupta, on June 8, 2010 12:10 PM
When a visionary needs a partner
As the Facebook grows Zuckerberg may, like Steve Jobs, lack the people skills and organizational knowledge needed to run a complex company.
Posted by Michael Maccoby, on June 8, 2010 11:51 AM
Maybe Mark needs a mentor
Bringing in a different set of eyes and ears may provide Zuckerberg with the wisdom he needs to maintain 'command and control' over a company that is still growing exponentially.
Posted by West Point Cadets, on June 8, 2010 9:50 AM
New leaders come from within
There are three general and related "laws" that make the difference between success and failure in selecting a new leader.
Posted by Warren Bennis, on June 8, 2010 6:40 AM
Facebook's human pyramid
As we've learned from the cheerleaders building their human pyramids, the person as the top is not the most important: It's the bottom and middle that do the heavy lifting.
Posted by Kathryn Kolbert, on June 8, 2010 6:33 AM
Wisdom Zuckerberg doesn't yet have
Leadership wisdom is something that accrues with age and experience: It's no wonder that Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook is struggling with large issues.
Posted by John Baldoni, on June 8, 2010 6:25 AM
Friending the next leader
Great leaders always put their company before themselves, and if that means handing over the reins to someone else, they'll be the one arguing forcefully for that change.
Posted by Jon Cowan, on June 8, 2010 6:19 AM
