Regrettable But Acceptable

Though regrettable, Steve Jobs' silence about his recent illnesses is not a venal violation of the principles of leadership.

Jobs has a long, strong track record in business, he is seen as a straight shooter, and many dedicated to integrity still feel that the private should not automatically become public (cf. the case of Clinton-Lewinsky). Had he been new to business, had he a pattern of misrepresentations, or had the business shown a downward trend, shareholders and pundits would not be so tolerant.

That said, I wish that Jobs had been candid about his illnesses. It would have set a positive example for others and, absent any evident signs of injury to Apple, would not have caused any difficulty to his reputation or to the company's prospects.

By Howard Gardner

 |  June 22, 2009; 10:38 AM ET
Category:  CEOs
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