Who gets praise and who is “Judas”?
By Herb Drill
“You will always be remembered,” the character Pontius Pilate scowls at the actor portraying Judas Iscariot in the excellent road company version of the ground-breaking 1970s rock opera “Jesus Christ, Superstar.” The words are uttered after Judas informs Pilate of Jesus’ whereabouts.
The troupe spent the weekend in Jacksonville, Fla. at the beautiful Moran Theater at the Times-Union Center, and it’s ironic that Monday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal carried a story with the headline: “For CEOs, Europe is a Gray Area in the Wake of Upheavals - Older Executives Become Most Sought-After Leaders.”
We all know “Judas” is a term used to refer to an “informer,” someone who “rats on” or “gives up” someone else to protect themselves. Corporate chiefs may use the term in reference to “whistle-blowers,” people who “inform” the scammed public concerning business atrocities such as Enron and WorldCom - and others.
The apostle Judas betrayed Jesus. Judas, ironically, is the Greek form of Judah, which is one of several Hebrew words for "praise." In today’s chaotic business environment internationally, who should get “praise” and who shall be judged a “Judas”?
The Journal article highlighted Gerard Kleisterlee, 57-year-old chief of Philips Electronics NV, as typical of today's European CEO. He gained management experience in 25 years-plus at Philips. “He is more likely to be found hunched over a profit-and-loss account than an expansion plan. His silver hair is … a badge of reassurance for shareholders rather than a sign he should step aside for a younger leader,” the article adds.
A “brave” new world faces CEOs worldwide after a substantial recession, a flip-flop stock market, and a “post-Enron fear of corporate scandals have altered the challenges facing” CEOs. The Journal contends
“shareholders want corporate chieftains with proven records who can master retrenchment as well as expansion and who value high profits over high profiles.”
The article quotes Iain McNeil, chief of staff at London-based Odgers Ray & Berndtson, an international executive-search firm, as saying: "During the late 1990s, when you had 20- and 30-something CEOs, the premium was on youth, vigor, and risk-taking; experience wasn't as important. Now, when companies are under greater scrutiny than ever before, shareholders want a CEO who will help them sleep well at night."
Obviously, older executives aren’t the only ones who need apply for today's CEO openings, and having only graybeards at the helm won’t automatically obliterate the need for whistle-blowers. McNeil noted "most companies want leaders with a bit of zip and youth on their side." Still, older hands have become the most sought-after corporate stars.
As The Journal noted, “CEOs … from Dutch electronics firm Philips to food retailer Ahold NV, German media group Bertelsmann AG, and Swedish-Swiss engineering concern ABB Ltd. inherited companies with heavy debt, battered share prices, and unprofitable units. Some are trying to execute rescues during an unrelenting downturn. Others face demanding shareholders and the prospect of failure after a lifetime of achievement. [They] just can't look at how a decision will affect the share price in the next days," but look years ahead and weigh short-term risk against long-term results.
Perhaps they should look at a screening of Dustin Hoffman’s role in the movie “Little Big Man” and view ethics and whistle-blowing in terms of the Native Americans - and then decide who is “Judas.”