[ad_1]
Sheryl Sandberg is the well-established and trusted captain of Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, who has guided Facebook's rapid growth around the world over the past ten years, while cultivating its brand name. 39 a way that suggests aspirations far beyond the social network.
But with growing criticism of the society's practices, or lack of supervision, her carefully cultivated image as an eloquent feminist leader shows flaws. The question that arises these days is no longer so much whether she will run in the Senate or even the presidency, but whether she should keep her job at Facebook.
"His brand was maintained with the same resources and care as the Tokyo Gardens," said Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at New York University. "And unfortunately, a hurricane has crossed the garden."
Facebook has been facing hurricanes for two years: false information, interference in elections, hate speech, scandal of privacy, etc. The company's response – namely that of Zuckerberg and Sandberg – has been at best slow, misleading and obscure at worst, as the New York Times reported last week. This report, and one from the Wall Street Journal, underscored Sandberg's influence in society, even though Zuckerberg had suffered much from criticism and anger. There have been calls for both to be evicted.
But because of the configuration of Facebook, it would be impossible to dismiss Zuckerberg. He controls the majority of the voting shares of the company, is the chairman and enjoys – at least publicly – the support of his board of directors. Essentially, he should be fired. Returning Sandberg would be the next logical option to hold a senior manager accountable. Although the chances are slim, the fact that it appeared shows the extent of the problems of Facebook – and Sandberg -.
Zuckerberg said Sandberg's work was secure in a CNN television interview on Tuesday night. "She's been an important partner for me for 10 years," Zuckerberg said. "I am really proud of the work we have done together and hope we will work together for many more decades."
He also told CNN that he intended to remain Facebook's chairman, despite heightened pressure from some investors, who felt that he should give up that role. "I certainly do not currently think it makes sense," he said.
The role of Sandberg
As Chief Operating Officer, Sandberg is responsible for Facebook's business relations, including advertisements that make up most of the company's revenues. She led Facebook from a burgeoning technology startup to a viable global company that is expected to generate $ 55 billion in revenue this year. The company is second behind Google in digital advertising.
But she was also blamed when things went wrong, including Facebook's failure to spot Russian attempts to influence US elections by buying US political ads – in rubles. Although Sandberg denied knowing that Facebook had hired an opposition research firm to discredit the activists, it created a permissive environment through what the Times called an "aggressive lobbying campaign" against critics. Definers, after the Times report.
Sandberg, 49, hired at Google in 2008, has been a crucial "heat shield" for Zuckerberg, as Galloway said, as a lawmaker and general public criticizing the 34-year-old founder. In September, Facebook sent Sandberg to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, provoking a warmer reaction than that of his boss three months ago.
Sandberg, former chief of staff of Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, seems more comfortable in the meeting rooms in Washington than Zuckerberg, who may seem robotic. Her profile is high enough that legislators do not feel on their feet when she shows up. She has written (with help) two books, including "Lean In" 2013 on women and leadership. Her second book, "Plan B", deals with loss and grief after her husband's unexpected death. She was the only chief operating officer among tech executives, including Apple's Tim Cook and Amazon's Jeff Bezos, to meet Donald Trump a month after his election.
"It's both his personality and the fact that Silicon Valley is devoid of strong and powerful female voices," said Richard Levick, crisis management expert. "She's positioned as one of those strong voices with" Lean In "."
Cambridge Analytica
But its notoriety also makes it more susceptible to criticism.
Sandberg's starting chorus is getting stronger and stronger. CNBC commentator Jim Cramer predicted on Monday that Facebook's shares would rise if Sandberg quit or was fired. According to Galloway of New York, Sandberg and Zuckerberg should be fired for allowing Facebook to turn into an entity that harms democracy in the world.
"Every day, leaders are fired for a fraction of the offenses that these two people committed," he said.
In addition to electoral interference, Zuckerberg and Sandberg were criticized for their slow response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the data mining company had accessed private information from millions of users without their permission. The couple remained silent for days after the announcement of the news.
According to the newspaper, Zuckerberg told Sandberg this spring that he blamed her and her teams for the "public fallout" on Cambridge Analytica. Citing unnamed sources, the paper said that Sandberg was at one point asked if she should be worried about her work (although this no longer seems to be the case, thanks to Zuckerberg's public support).
Galloway said that it would be frowned upon as Facebook lays off one of the only women leaders in an industry where women "face disproportionate hurdles to access executive positions".
Beyond that, Sandberg has also played a positive role on Facebook. She was hired to be "adult" in the room and fulfilled her role. She moves comfortably outside technological circles and speaking in public, thus counteracting Zuckerberg's shortcomings in this area.
On the contrary, Sandberg's departure from Facebook would probably be on his own terms. Although Zuckerberg had spent his entire adult life on Facebook, Sandberg had a career that predated Facebook and even technology. It is therefore plausible that she has a life after Facebook, maybe back in politics.
But first, she has to face the problems of Facebook. The task seems arduous because its problems could never disappear. But Levick thinks that Sandberg can begin to restore his image by recognizing his role in Facebook's problems, instead of blaming external forces beyond his control: "The response to the unstable situation" poor, poor me "does not. is not the solution. "
Source link
