Yahoo, Marissa Mayer and Communication Theory
There are various perspectives within the realm of communication theory which attempt to explain the communicative meaning of the interaction between humans. However, what can be said with greater objective certainty is that it is the communication of messages that are a fundamental feature of communication theory. Placing this definition in a context of organizational communication, in a bid to understand today’s environment of work and organisations, we will need to explore both the organisations’ practices and wider cultures. In applying this theoretical framework this essay will evaluate how it helps to explain the approach Marissa Mayer has adopted with her stewardship of the once ailing online company Yahoo. Marissa Mayer stepped down from Yahoo earlier this year. I want to explore how she managed to revive the fortunes of Yahoo, and in the process how she has become the CEO of Yahoo with the second longest tenure.
When applying theoretical frameworks to the story of Marissa Mayer's time at Yahoo there are many interesting explanatory correlations. From the outset Mayers has improved the strength of Yahoo’s market position as well as its cultural and user appeal, she has achieved this by introducing a number of measures including acquisitions, content, content delivery and most importantly for the purposes of this essay she has implemented schemes and initiatives aimed at improving the employee experience. Since becoming CEO of Yahoo in 2013, Mayer spent her first year in the job recruiting more talented staff and improving work cultures at her organisation. One of the key features to her approach with her body of staff has been introducing a weekly meeting with her employees. This has opened up a direct face to face communication platform with senior management and employees lower down the chain of hierarchy, it is characteristic of her personal approach to improving the interaction of all staff.
(Now former CEO of Yahoo Marissa Meyer who's just stepped down from her role)
More importantly what Mayer has done is to change not just the practices but the cultures which had developed under previous CEO’s. Certain observers have derided her attempts at better relations with her staff, however on the whole employees are happy with her approach. Certain initiatives Mayer has introduced to improve morale include providing free food and giving free mobile phones to staff. This of course in itself does not resolve the wider problems Yahoo has to surmount, but these morale boosters have, to a large extent, helped to ensure employees feel that their contributions are being recognised. However the whole ride hasn’t produced all positive feedback. Part of Marissa Mayer’s style of management has witnessed the introduction of what some call a ‘brutal management technique’. The technique is called ‘ranking and yanking’ and was popular in the 1980’s and 1990’s. It involves assessing employees using a vitality curve, those that fall into the lowest category are sacked.
In conclusion, communication theories, as discussed above, help to guide our understanding of the practical realities of managing a business and the relationship the business has with its employees. There can be no doubt that to achieve optimal results senior management must have effective inter-personal and communication skills in order to create a culture of open and effective engagement with their employees. Marissa Mayers’s personal style of management has not only generated commercial benefits for Yahoo, but she has managed to, perhaps more importantly, improve the channels of communication with her staff and therefore improve the overall efficiency of the business. Whilst not all of her measures have been met with satisfaction, there can be no doubt she has established herself as an effective player in strengthening both Yahoo’s organizational communication and its market position.
