Sam Zell is the new CEO of the Chicago Tribune and the financially troubled company that owns it. He's intense, and has been criticized for his macho, obscenity-rich communication style.
And in response to Zell's defense of his style, some employees seem to be clapping, and otherse seem to be squirming.
Communicators, what are you doing?
Comments (7)
Yawning.
Posted by Diane | February 20, 2008 12:20 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 12:20
Why, Diane? Just because Zell is an infantile screamer who takes seven minutes to get across two simple ideas?
1. I'm the boss and get to do whatever I want.
2. Our organization is in trouble and my boorishness is justified on grounds that I need to get your attention.
Posted by David Murray | February 20, 2008 12:29 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 12:29
Oh, I liked it, David. I liked that he ranted, I liked his passion and his screaming. I'd far rather listen to that than the mealy-mouthed platitudes I usually hear from CEOs and their ilk. I want his email address! I wanna work for him!
Posted by Joan Hope | February 20, 2008 1:53 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 13:53
I'm not from Chicago so that video was actually my first exposure to Sam Zell. He's a little full of himself, but I like his straightforward style. You can't go into a room full of hardened journalists and try to sugarcoat how the company is doing. You will lose credibility with a large portion of your staff.
My bet is this. Newsrooms, particularly newspaper newsrooms, like his style; the other departments do not. Am I wrong?
Posted by Chuck B | February 20, 2008 1:56 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 13:56
Well, I kind of like it too, Joan; I was just trying to expand on Diane's rather pithy response.
But it does seem to me he:
Takes a long time ... to say little that people can actually put to use ....
I say he gets one of these, but his next high-profile talk had better contain more that people can actually put to use, and, more positive.
You can run a company on, "If we don't think differently we're dead."
But you can't make a great company without, "If we do think differently we can thrive in this way, that way and this way ....."
I don't mind working for a hothead and I don't mind conflict and I definitely don't mind swearing. But I do mind a single-minded fixation on extinction-or-else ...
Posted by David Murray | February 20, 2008 2:00 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 14:00
Well, Chuck, I'm not sure these are just newsroom types. In fact if they are, that's a little freaky too. I heard the Pulitzer reference, but the day you're screaming at a roomful reporters to think of ways to make more money is the day you should ask yourself, to put it in Sam Zell's language: Why did I buy a fucking newspaper?
Posted by David Murray | February 20, 2008 2:02 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 14:02
Good point.
Posted by Chuck B | February 20, 2008 2:23 PM
Posted on February 20, 2008 14:23