Carol Bartz’s First-Week-at-Yahoo Memo to the Troops
by Kara Swisher
Posted on January 25, 2009 at 1:53 AM PT
With Yahoo earnings expected to be dismal when the company reports fourth-quarter earnings this Tuesday afternoon, new Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz is going to have to hang tough.
And she certainly seems capable of that. At her first all-hands meeting, Bartz (pictured here) said, according to one report others have since confirmed to BoomTown, that she would “drop-kick to f***ing Mars” employees who leak to the press.
That threat sent little shivers up BoomTown’s spine too, which is why it must have taken so long for her first-week missive to Yahoo (YHOO) staff worldwide to get to my inbox.
Well played, Ms. Bartz, well played. (Plus, I really am bad at football metaphors.)
But turnabout is also fair play. And that’s why I am redoubling my efforts to bring you up-to-date news from Yahoo under Bartz’s leadership, as ATD has done so obsessively during the reigns of ex-Yahoo CEOs Terry Semel and Jerry Yang (and, if you want to really date me, Tim Koogle).
In that spirit, this column broke the news last week that Zimbra founder Satish Dharmaraj and marketing exec Eric Hadley were leaving.
And the week before that Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock was swanning around Manhattan with Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer and Time Warner (TWX) CEO Jeff Bewkes.
More to come this week, for sure, as all eyes turns to Yahoo’s financial performance (which is no fault of Bartz’s, who’s just arrived but still has to deliver the news).
But until then, here’s that energetic memo Bartz sent out to Yahoo troops after her first week there.
From: Carol Bartz
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 3:12 PM
To: all-worldwide@yahoo-inc.com
Subject: My First Friday
It’s Friday!
Wow, this week has gone fast. I thought I’d give you a quick idea of how things went for me this week. First, a BIG thank you for all the positive comments you’ve sent my way. It has really made me feel welcome. And a special big thanks to all the guys (that’d be Willie, Anthony, Jack, Allen, Daryl, Nathan, Ali, etc.) that worked so quickly to get Judy and I up and running. I know I told you at the all-hands that I was going to be bringing my lunch. That was before I saw the cafeteria–it rocks! Forget that leftover stuff!
My first impression of the Yahoos is that you guys are smart and dedicated, and have a lot of great energy with a can-do attitude (ok, maybe there’s some sucking up because I’m the boss, but it impressed the heck out of me).
I wasn’t too happy to see some “inside sources” quoting my all-hands comments to the outside press–STOP IT! And while we’re on the subject of all-hands, I cancelled the regularly scheduled after-earnings meeting simply because it’s just too close to the one we just had. Don’t take it as something it’s not.
I’m pumped up and proud to be here. I’m going to spend my weekend shopping for something purple (great excuse for a little retail therapy)…
Carol
Comments
Well that confirms that here first mistake was rust. She is learning fast. Don’t talk to the employee’s if you want inside information to stay inside.
Posted by Jeff Stevens at January 25th, 2009 at 6:09 amOh my God, they really are going to go back to the everybody should wear purple campaign to try and save the company aren’t they?
Posted by Thomas Hawk at January 25th, 2009 at 7:38 amOne of the many problems associated with the Yang tenure was the lack of any meaningful communication from management to the shareholders. Short of Yang’s bland press releases that spoke about “increasing shareholder value”, there was never a communication of a strategy. Now I grant that could have been because Yang had no real strategy other the walking away from nearly 50 billion dollars, but that said I hope Bartz has a clearer strategy then Yang and in the off chance that she does, perhaps she could be somewhat more effective in communicating. I guess we’ll see on Tuesday after the miserable earnings are reported.
Posted by michael kane at January 25th, 2009 at 8:13 amBtw, at least she knows how to use the shift key
Posted by michael kane at January 25th, 2009 at 8:17 amwell, my bs decoder ring is out and working overtime here, decoding carol’s memo–
From: Carol Bartz
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 3:12 PM
To: all-worldwide@yahoo-inc.com
Subject: My First Friday
carol: It’s Friday!
decoded: thank god the first week is over…is my paycheck sent yet? how many options have i vested?
—
carol: Wow, this week has gone fast. I thought I’d give you a quick idea of how things went for me this week. First, a BIG thank you for all the positive comments you’ve sent my way. It has really made me feel welcome. And a special big thanks to all the guys (that’d be Willie, Anthony, Jack, Allen, Daryl, Nathan, Ali, etc.) that worked so quickly to get Judy and I up and running. I know I told you at the all-hands that I was going to be bringing my lunch. That was before I saw the cafeteria–it rocks! Forget that leftover stuff!
decoded: thanks to the plebes for setting up my throne. and i was only kidding about brown bagging it, i like gourmet food at our cafeteria…and don’t bother me during lunch
—
carol: My first impression of the Yahoos is that you guys are smart and dedicated, and have a lot of great energy with a can-do attitude (ok, maybe there’s some sucking up because I’m the boss, but it impressed the heck out of me).
I wasn’t too happy to see some “inside sources” quoting my all-hands comments to the outside press–STOP IT! And while we’re on the subject of all-hands, I cancelled the regularly scheduled after-earnings meeting simply because it’s just too close to the one we just had. Don’t take it as something it’s not.
decoded: gag on this losers. anyone who didn’t have the beach balls to leave is part of the problem
—
carol: I’m pumped up and proud to be here. I’m going to spend my weekend shopping for something purple (great excuse for a little retail therapy)…
decoded: i’m proud (and flabbergasted) that i was chosen as ceo…come on, didn’t they look at my resume? autodesk! i’ve got to go get a latte and reflect on this wacky world.
Carol
Posted by Sam Harrison at January 27th, 2009 at 11:58 am