FORTUNE: CEO pay: They didn't earn it – and should return it – May. 2, 2006
I know this is a lean blog, not CEO watch, but I can't help pointing out this article from Fortune. CEO's love to talk about “pay for performance.” What happens when they get paid on fudged performance and cooked books? Mostly, they get to keep it.
The popular culture is outraged that Barry Bonds, a “cheater” is about to pass Babe Ruth. His records shouldn't count, some say.
Shouldn't we be more upset about CEO's, our corporate leaders, cheating and taking bonuses they shouldn't have been entitled to?
- Frank Dunn, Nortel: $5.7 million bonus, overstated revenue by $1.2 billion
- Hank Greenberg, AIG: $19.5 million bonus, overstated profit by $3.9 billion
- Sanjay Kumar, Computer Associates: $300 million bonus, overstated revenue by $2.2 billion
- Scott Livengood, Krispy Kreme: $1.6 million bonus, overstated profit by $22 million
The law makes it tough, in certain ways (read the article) for corporations to get the money back after the financial restatements.
Please post a comment and join the discussion. Subscribe to get notified about posts daily or weekly.
Mark Graban
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. His latest book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. He also published the anthology Practicing Lean that benefits the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation, where Mark is a board member. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.
im compelled to read anything with the word shenaningans.
Ridiculas CEO pay is a lean issue – I believe. For more info see: Warren Buffett’s Shareholder Letter.
I believe there is a good chance Deming would add excessive CEO pay to his deadly diseases of management if he experienced what we are now (Drucker spoke out strongly against the trend in the last few decades).