THE QUESTION
BP, Dell, Wall Street: Where have the corporate heroes gone?
Tony Hayward, once credited for BP's "green" turnaround, is forced to resign in disgrace. Michael Dell, the revolutionary high-tech entrepreneur, is sanctioned for misleading investors. Wall Street titans, once lionized, are now reviled. Where have all the CEO heroes gone?
Posted by Steve Pearlstein and Raju Narisetti on July 26, 2010 1:56 PM
FROM THE PANEL
Our 'shut-eye' corporate sentries
Like Ken Lay before him, Tony Hayward's failing was not simply his myopia or cupidity or incompetence. It was his inability to create a company culture open to reality.
Posted by Warren Bennis, on July 28, 2010 6:00 PM
Don't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch
CEO heroes exist all around us. Somehow America has forgotten that our vibrant economy, the mass majority of our jobs, and the products we use every day are a result of strong business leadership.
Posted by Amy M. Wilkinson, on July 28, 2010 11:19 AM
Heroes and villians have always been there
Great leaders, and terrible leaders have been with us throughout our history. Some things never change.
Posted by Marshall Goldsmith, on July 28, 2010 9:47 AM
What would JP Morgan do?
In crisis, true heroes realize that their interests are inexorably tied to those of the people that depend on them.
Posted by Robert Goodwin, on July 28, 2010 7:15 AM
Neither heroes nor villians
CEOs are human beings who have a very big job, and who, in order to do that job well, need and deserve the support of their leadership team, their board, their family, and a host of other stakeholders. They do not need to be put on a pedestal.
Posted by Erika James, on July 27, 2010 11:20 AM
Fragile reputations
Even in difficult times there are CEOs who have managed to stay on their slippery pedestals.
Posted by Michael Maccoby, on July 27, 2010 11:00 AM
CEOs get booed when they lose too
Soon, we hope, a handful of CEOs will begin to invest and to hire and we'll have heroes again, however briefly.
Posted by Slade Gorton, on July 27, 2010 10:46 AM
Out with the hero label, in with a lunch bucket attitude
Leadership, like character, is what you do when the choices are hard. When things are booming, it can be fun to grow the business, introducing new products and services, hiring new employees, and reaping strong profits. Tough times mean facilities closings, layoffs, and bearish earnings.
Posted by John Baldoni, on July 27, 2010 10:37 AM
The heroes of Omaha Beach
Sitting on Omaha Beach today, it's hard for me to put the words "corporate hero" together.
Posted by Lt. Col. Todd Henshaw (Ret.), on July 26, 2010 4:32 PM
Needed: SuperHUMANS not superheroes
Taking BP out of the whole it dug itself into will require a leader who's part experienced oil & gas executive, part government relations specialist, part statesman, part crisis manager, part credible spokesperson, part cheerleader, part trusted coach.
Posted by Angel Cabrera, on July 26, 2010 4:15 PM
Meet today's corporate heroes
It's time to focus more on the successes of CEOs who are making a positive difference and less on individual failures.
Posted by Bill George, on July 26, 2010 3:55 PM
Uncritical admiration of a 5-year-old
When asked about the quality he wanted most in his generals, Napoleon replied, "Luck."
Posted by Sir Andrew Likierman, on July 26, 2010 2:49 PM
Best heroes are the quietest
I don't think we lack any CEO heroes. But I suspect that the true heroes are largely unsung, and prefer to remain that way.
Posted by Howard Gardner, on July 26, 2010 2:44 PM
Need a hero? Check out DaVita's Kent Thiry
How do we know a business hero when we see one? When we see CEOs who understand the powerful connection between human values and economic value.
Posted by William C. Taylor, on July 26, 2010 2:28 PM
Save & Share:
ccs53: "Corporate heroes" is an oxymoron if I ever heard one....
dennyc: I could do without heroes if we could have some more ordinary, but steady, competence. Things like running an automobile company, banking, ...
braunt: Since when have we ever "lionized" the corporate giants in this country? We have hurled invective at successful businessmen from before the...
