Todd Wasserman just posted an article entitled Should Zuckerberg Resign From CEO Position?, with a poll included. Snapshot in time, here’s where results are netting out right now:
- No way. Everyone needs to chill out. 45.35% (2,321 votes)
- Yeah. Sorry, dude, but you’re in over your hoodie. 41.91% (2,145 votes)
- Not sure. 12.74% (652 votes)
To take you back to what inspired Todda’s story: an LA Times story quoted investors, including Barry Ritholtz of research firm Fusion IQ and, Chris Whalen, senior managing director at Tangent Capital Partners, among others —who feel that Zuckerberg should stay on in a creative capacity, but that Facebook needs an experienced CEO.
Out of the 5,118 votes cast thus far in the Mashable poll, I’m pretty surprised that almost 42% are asking for him to go. Spoiler alert: I voted no. If Facebook hadn’t been given a crazy valuation in the first place, its stock wouldn’t have fallen this far. Facebook’s long term roadmap shouldn’t be all that different from what it was before the company went public.
Would it hurt for the company to find some quick revenue wins? Absolutely. Some small gestures to calm investors could go a long way. But, Facebook’s strategy isn’t broken; it just needs tweaks. Pressuring Zuckerberg out of the CEO role sends the message that Facebook is going to be reactionary, and no longer a visionary leader — and exactly the wrong move for Facebook in the long-term.
