It’s no secret that Yahoo’s been down a bit lately. They’ve got a lot of great services, but they get continually beat in key areas by Google and Microsoft. Yahoo’s search may even superior to Google, but at this point, I just trust Google’s results too much to even give Yahoo a serious trial. While I may not be a real indicator for the entire market, they do have problems.
I don’t blame the company’s workforce for feeling down. You can only get beaten by Google so many times before you take it personally. Kara Swisher reports Steve Jobs was brought in for a pep talk.
All that and more occurred on Friday at Yahoo HQ as CEO Jerry Yang and President Sue Decker really put on a show that seemed to resonate with the 300-plus top Yahoo executives (vice president and above) gathered there, capped by an appearance by Apple’s Steve Jobs, who is apparently now Silicon Valley’s equivalent of Oprah.
Oprah? Really? Can someone explain this joke to me? I don’t get it. Anyway, it really makes sense to bring him in to rally the troops. The excitement about, let’s face it, electronic goods after a keynote is, well, electric. Jobs knows how to whip a crowd into a frenzy even when what he’s showing is a series of processor speed bumps. Go Apple!
Steve Jobs has always been a Silicon Valley celebrity. He's experienced many roles in this industry. He understood software development, knew how to built computers from scratch, felt what's best for consumers, presented the best tech products, you name it. But being a coach isn't one of them. Heck, I thought Steve was often perceived as this rare figure succeeds even in his 'my way or the highway' paradigm.
On the other hand, I suppose Steve realizes that, in order to leave a legacy, he must 'drop' his defenses, and spend time with juniors to share his vast knowledge. You can die rich and famous, but you still die. Congratulations Steve, I guess wisdom of old age has finally caught up with you.