Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh recently died in a house fire. He was 46. Hsieh was a man of many talents, ideas, and successes. The theme of his life was happiness: his employees’, his customers’, and his own. Here’s what we can learn from his example. A Dreamer Who Delivered The child of immigrants, Hsieh’s […]
Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh (1973-2020): The Power Of “Why” Read More »
Media billionaire Jeffrey Katzenberg recently pulled the plug on Quibi, his own start-up. As with any other box-office bomb, the post-mortem blame game may prove more creative, entertaining — and instructive — than the feature itself. Katzenberg founded Quibi with former eBay CEO Meg Witman. They raised $1.75 billion in start-up capital. This C-suite power
Katzenberg Cancels Quibi — Let The Spin Begin! Read More »
Five ex-Kodak executives collected millions of dollars selling stock options they didn’t own. Then the story gets worse. (Under)statement from Mr. Know-It-All In a press (under)statement, Kodak Finance Chief David Bullwinkle (yes, Bullwinkle) said that the company had discovered deficiencies in its controls that had failed to prevent the unauthorized issuance of the company’s stock.
A Kodak Moment Memorable for the Wrong Reasons Read More »
For managers, ethical behavior depends not just upon the decision itself, but the processes and the purposes behind the decision. Taking a Stand in Expensify’s Name Using company letterhead, Expensify’s CEO, David Barrett, sent 10 million users a sharply worded email encouraging them to vote for a particular Presidential candidate, and against another. Did Barrett
Trashing Trump — Did Expensify’s CEO Do Right? Read More »
Resembling fiddler crabs, senior Goldman executives seem to take with the giant claw, and to give back with the tiny one. A previous post described Goldman Sachs getting hit with over $5 billion in fines and disgorgement sanctions. These penalties relate to two senior Goldman bankers’ participation in a multi-billion-dollar bribery and embezzlement scheme. Taking
Goldman’s Fiddler-Crab Clawback Read More »
There’s a dirty secret at the heart of corporate governance. Governance rules don’t create value. They only prevent it’s destruction. A business with perfect governance that doesn’t make money is worthless. So, how should we keep our eyes on the ball? What Makes a Business Valuable? A business is worth the returns it makes for
The Dirty Secret of Corporate Governance Read More »
The federal government just fined JP Morgan Chase $920 million. And that’s because the feds decided to go easy on the bank. Now, as part of the settlement, JP Morgan must adopt the anti-fraud methods of a Mob bookie and casino boss. “Spoofing” Markets through Bogus Orders JP Morgan traders unlawfully manipulated the market through
A Mob Bookie Schools JP Morgan on Fraud Read More »
Citigroup admitted to risk-management shortcomings and some compliance lapses. Federal regulators not only fined Citigroup $400 million but claimed authority over key staffing. Now the buck stops nowhere. This is bad for Citigroup. And for the rest of us. Bad Citigroup! Bad! Citigroup Board of Directors just signed off on consent orders. They admit “significant
Citigroup’s $400 Million Fine: The Buck Stops Nowhere Read More »
What makes us friends with somebody? Marriage v Friendship “Marriage” is an easier thing to understand. It is a civil contract and/or religious covenant with a defined beginning, defined rights and duties, and defined end. When entering or staying in a marriage, motives and conduct don’t matter. A person who got married for money or
A lunch-break meditation on friendship Read More »