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Bozoma Saint John
.. you might not have heard of her - but until a week ago she was one of Apple’s shining stars - actually head of global and consumer marketing for iTunes and Apple Music. She presented at last years WWDC - phenomenal presentation … 
… and now she is headed to Uber. This chap hasn’t written much about Uber here - but suffice to say he has been talking about the issues they are facing for a couple of years. Here’s a link to just some of the stuff he is on record with (and it isn’t just me - this is another link to an extraordinarily good collection of links about the company)…. and as I read that the 2nd in command has today been removed from the organization - and likely that Travis will be standing down for an indeterminate period - I am just wondering if Bozoma is having any second thoughts. I hope
not, because she is good - and could make a difference - if they let her.
Other Chap? Any Thoughts?
It’s called the “Glass Cliff” – the tendency to appoint women to leadership positions in time of crises that may not be fixable.
Used with reference to a situation in which a woman or member of a minority group ascends to a leadership position in challenging circumstances where the risk of failure is high. ‘even where women do manage to break through the glass ceiling, they fall off the glass cliff’
Oxford Dictionaries
Here’s a little more on the – phenomenon? Syndrome?
Research found women were sometimes being set up for a fall, while sometimes women get the job because of “men not wanting to fail and taking a step back”, which sounds familiar from the aftermath of the UK referendum. At a time of crisis, organisations have a licence to appoint leaders who look different, not necessarily because they will bring change, but because the decision to appoint them merely signals change. Separate research found, for instance, that Japanese companies in difficulty appointed (male) foreigners as chief executive. As long as men hold most senior positions, women will be set up as fall-girls. Given their chance of a cushier job is more limited, they may feel obliged to accept cliff-edge roles.
Don’t mention it. You’re welcome.
This is this chap not mentioning it.