Infighting Threatens AOL Time Warner Chief

from the not-off-to-a-good-start dept

For a while, I've said my biggest complaint with Steve Case in doing the AOL Time Warner merger was not convincing the various senior execs of the synergies between the two companies and why they needed to work together - instead of against each other. So far, it sounds like new chairman Richard Parsons isn't doing a much better job. He apparently held a two-day retreat for top executives which turned into a fight over whether AOL Time Warner should keep the AOL part of their name. Parsons tried to stay neutral, and that resulted in the executives with either opinion separating themselves on opposite sides of the room. Now, that's leadership ability. I'm amazed. Are the executives at AOL Time Warner really this childish? They all work for the same company, but rather than trying to work out a combined strategy to move the company forward, they're acting like six-year-olds arguing over who gets to play on the field. Meanwhile, Parsons stands alongside them like a bewildered babysitter. This doesn't look good.

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