Is Uber CEO a Bad Leader Or Just An Asshole?
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is in the news yet again. This time it’s because of a heated argument between Kalanick and an Uber driver that was videoed. The conversation between the Uber driver and the Uber CEO starts innocently enough, but quickly turns dark when the driver calls out Kalanick for his continued changes of pricing and services which as the Uber driver puts it has “bankrupted” him and cost him “$97,000.”
Now add to this the recent scathing blog post written by former Uber engineer Susan Fowler which recounted claims of unbridled sexual harassment, and the indifferent reaction from the Human Resources department. Reports of a corporate culture of pure Darwinistic survival of the fittest environment pollute the internet.
So the question is this; is Uber CEO Travis Kalanick a bad leader or just an asshole? Now some of you may say, “what’s the difference?” And you may be right to say this as we are in the midst of a generational leadership crisis. As Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker once wrote, “The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.” If Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is willing to tolerate sexual harassment, allow a predatory corporate culture, and as we witnessed in the video altercation, speak condescendingly to an Uber driver, what can me make of this? Legendary Navy SEAL Commander Jocko Willink has said, “It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.” And sage Chinese philosopher Confucius tells us that, “There is never a case when the root is in disorder and yet the branches are in order.”
If Uber is in such disarray internally, we can wisely infer that Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is also internally in disarray. A leader’s internal mental state is projected outwardly and is manifest within the organization. A leader that is stable, fair and prudent has an organization that is stable, fair and prudent.
Of course once the embarrassing video came out Kalanick had to offer the standard mea culpa. In a memo to his employees, he wrote, “To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement. My job as your leader is to lead…and that starts with behaving in a way that makes us all proud. That is not what I did, and it cannot be explained away. It’s clear this video is a reflection of me—and the criticism we’ve received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time I’ve been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.”
He’s obviously a bad leader. And it’s obvious that’s he’s never bothered to read about how Alexander the Great, Hannibal Barca, General George S. Patton and other leaders were revered by their followers. You see, a great leader leads from the front. He knows that any failure his followers suffer is his failure first and foremost.
And as to whether or not Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is an asshole, watch the video and decide for yourself. As for all of you Uber drivers out there, the writing is on the wall, as soon as self driving cars are approved and ready to go, you’re all going to be replaced.
If Kalanick is serious about getting some leadership help, I’m more than happy to help. Give me a call Travis.