Sunday, November 15, 2009

The Cult of the Faceless Boss

Is it better to be unforgettable or to blend in? This article discusses the trend for executives to be bland and boring rather than noticeable. Perhaps the trend for faceless CEOs is a reaction to yesterday's vivid bosses, or maybe it is a just a strategy for trying not to get fired in such a turbulent economic climate.

Yet it is possible to take things too far. The people who have revolutionized their businesses have been interesting, memorable people--think Henry Ford, Thomas Watson, and Bill Gates. The point of this article is clear: an unusual degree of turbulence requires unusual bosses, not identikit ones.

1 comment:

Lizzie Powers said...

The personality of a boss was not something I'd frequently considered to be important in the success of a business, but it makes a lot of sense considering the influence they have over a direction of a company. However, it was surprising to hear that it was not the more low-profile bosses who were successful, the those who stood out a bit more. I wonder if this analysis will impact in any way who gets hired as big-firm bosses in the future.