Comments on: Leadership Observations from the new eBay CEO http://www.ameliasperspective.com/2009/04/leadership-observations-from-the-new-ebay-ceo/ Amelia Tess Thornton's Thoughts on Life, Business and the World Around Us Tue, 22 Feb 2011 04:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Paul Trotter http://www.ameliasperspective.com/2009/04/leadership-observations-from-the-new-ebay-ceo/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Paul Trotter Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:02:41 +0000 http://www.ameliasperspective.com/?p=57#comment-9 I think the current economic situation is highlighting companies' and individuals' commitments to their values. Already we've seen many organizations fail because they've taken risks outside their traditional levels because "the whole industry was doing it" or "we wanted to maximize shareholder value." Their responses echo my teenage excuses to my parents (though I doubt I ever reasoned that I should break curfew because of shareholder value - though you never know...) The point is that the quality of leadership is never truly shown until a time of crisis. Some leaders thrive and turn difficult situations into success (because they inspire trust, calm, and confidence); others fail in large part because of a lack of foundation onto which their subordinates can hold. I think the current economic situation is highlighting companies’ and individuals’ commitments to their values. Already we’ve seen many organizations fail because they’ve taken risks outside their traditional levels because “the whole industry was doing it” or “we wanted to maximize shareholder value.” Their responses echo my teenage excuses to my parents (though I doubt I ever reasoned that I should break curfew because of shareholder value – though you never know…)

The point is that the quality of leadership is never truly shown until a time of crisis. Some leaders thrive and turn difficult situations into success (because they inspire trust, calm, and confidence); others fail in large part because of a lack of foundation onto which their subordinates can hold.

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