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Why aren't you firing more people? asked Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer of British managers during the
Institute of Director's conference yesterday, the London Times reports. After all,
he himself makes a policy to dismiss 6.5% of his employees every year. And when in doubt? Fire twice as
many.It's not whether they're doing a good job, he says: it's all about whether you can find better people.
Critics are naturally saying that this strategy will create a "culture of fear." And, bizarrely, his comments came immediately after Cadbury Schweppes CEO Todd Stitzer was bemoaning a "serious image problem" in which businesses were seen as heartless capitalists. Not as heartless as U.S. business I suppose!
I just hope Ballmer doesn't apply this strategy to his marriage. "Sorry, Mrs. Balmer! It's not that you're a bad wife. It's just... the lady I met in tango class is so much better."
[Photo Microsoft]
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
6-08-2006 @ 1:49PM
John M Lopes said...
Get ridding of a few thousand people a-la- Balmer mode will create a more competitive human capital environment. I mean, if fear is a good enough motivator for our politicians to employ on the tax payer, or the fed chairman on the financial community, surely we shouldn't get our nose out of a joint when a leading technology company decides to instill similar reasoning for the good of it's shareholders.