How sick is the dear leader? Party officials aren’t saying.
Outsiders parse every gaunt appearance, or lack thereof, at party congresses
for signs of serious illness. Insiders cannot imagine life without him.
Supporters put on shows of technological force while talk swirls around the
relative strength and official titles of his erstwhile heir
apparent.
That sums up the situation in Pyongyang. But it could
equally apply to goings‐on in Cupertino, California, home
of Apple – the company this week at the center of fervent speculation in the
markets and media over the health of its visionary founder Steve
Jobs.
Admittedly, it’s a far stretch to compare the governance of
one of the most successful technology companies in the world with the most
bizarre and paranoid dictatorship on the planet. And even though Jobs is
beloved within the company, even Apple would never attribute superhuman feats,
such as shooting multiple holes‐in‐one the very first time he played
golf (one of Kim Jong‐Il’s many reputed accomplishments), to him.
Yet pronouncements from Apple regarding its chief executive’s
health have repeatedly proven overly cheery. First Jobs had a virus in June
2008. In January of this year, he had a hormone imbalance. A week later, he was
going on six month medical leave. Now it has emerged he received a liver
transplant. Meantime, good news, such as Jobs’ appearance at work on Monday,
quickly appears in the press.
The risk of such selective silence is that it creates
unrealistic expectations for its founder’s ability to govern, while muddying
succession planning.
Making an appearance at headquarters and running a company
are two different things. Yet the company still maintains Jobs will soon be
back in the saddle. Liver transplants are truly an amazing scientific advance.
But recipients must take harsh immunosuppressant drugs, which can cause serious
side effects, for the rest of their lives. Whether Jobs can fulfill the
grueling demands of being the full‐time chief executive isn’t clear.
While it is hard to contemplate Jobs’ mortality, avoiding
the issue doesn’t make it go away. About 30 percent of liver transplant
patients die within five years. Jobs’ fight against cancer adds further risk.
Apple should have a clear succession plan in place. Yet the executive currently
running the company, Tim Cook, did not even receive the honorific of interim
chief executive officer during Jobs’ medical leave, including while he was
undergoing surgery.
Jobs is an extraordinary executive and innovator. But for
shareholders’ sake Apple has to be larger, and hopefully more enduring, than
any one man, including its founder. The company, and its board of directors,
should have the confidence to proclaim as much.
Published June 25, 2009
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