There are countless factors that can lead CEOs to be blamed for their companies’ poor performance, many of which are outside their control. Our recent research, however, suggests that how leaders present themselves plays an important role.
Through an analysis of 23,000 media articles about more than 350 CEOs, we found that when CEOs credit their strategic decisions for unexpected positive earnings, they are more likely to be blamed for negative results in the future (and more likely to be fired as a result). Conversely, when leaders are humble and take less credit for positive outcomes, they are less likely to be blamed or removed from their positions when earnings fall.
Read the full article online at Harvard Business Review.
This article was produced by Footnote in partnership with University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and Seoul National University.
