Although Yahoo's controversial CEO was reluctant to agree that the company has struggled with flat revenues this year ("struggling is not a word I would use," she said at Fortune's Most Powerful Women conference), Carol Bartz has nonetheless acknowledged her own behavioral issues.
On May 24, Bartz told TechCrunch's Michael Arrington to "fuck off" (she also used "shit" during the interview) and showed little remorse in the process, adding, "And that one I meant. Lunchtime!" It didn't help that, a year earlier, she said "fuck you" to a Wall Street Journal reporter. The negative press rolled in, making a tough job only tougher.
Also at Fortune's conference in October, Bartz said "I hate working for assholes," which further cemented her reputation as cuss-prone (though she whispered that last word). Her renegade persona has earned Bartz a number of fans, but her language still does not seem befitting of a CEO. Meanwhile, as for the financial struggle, Yahoo laid off 600 workers last week, at an estimated cost of $33 to $38 million. Expect Bartz to try cleaning her act up for a smarter 2011.
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