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A New Video Shows Uber CEO Travis Kalanick Arguing With a Driver Over Fares (bloomberg.com)
A new video published by Bloomberg shows Uber CEO Travis Kalanick arguing with an Uber driver over fares. It all started when one of Kalanick's "companions" appears to say that she's heard that Uber is having a hard year. Bloomberg reports: That pleasant conversation between Kalanick and his friends in the back of an Uber Black? It devolved into a heated argument over Uber's fares between the CEO and his driver, Fawzi Kamel, who then turned over a dashboard recording of the conversation to Bloomberg. Kamel, 37, has been driving for Uber since 2011 and wants to draw attention to the plight of Uber drivers. The video shows off Kalanick's pugnacious personality and short temper, which may cause some investors to question whether he has the disposition to lead a $69 billion company with a footprint that spans the globe. Uber declined to comment on the video. Here's part of the conversation:
Travis Kalanick: "So we are reducing the number of black cars in the next few months."
Fawzi Kamel: "It's good."
Kalanick: "You probably saw some email."
Kamel: "I saw the email [says] it starts in May. But you're raising the standards and dropping the prices."
Kalanick: "We're not dropping the prices on black."
Kamel: "But in general."
Kalanick: "In general but we have competitors. Otherwise we'd be out of business."
Kamel: "Competitors? You had the business model in your hands you could have the prices you want but you choose to buy everybody a ride."
You can read the transcript of the conversation here via Recode.
UPDATE 2/28/17: Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has issued "a profound apology."
Travis Kalanick: "So we are reducing the number of black cars in the next few months."
Fawzi Kamel: "It's good."
Kalanick: "You probably saw some email."
Kamel: "I saw the email [says] it starts in May. But you're raising the standards and dropping the prices."
Kalanick: "We're not dropping the prices on black."
Kamel: "But in general."
Kalanick: "In general but we have competitors. Otherwise we'd be out of business."
Kamel: "Competitors? You had the business model in your hands you could have the prices you want but you choose to buy everybody a ride."
You can read the transcript of the conversation here via Recode.
UPDATE 2/28/17: Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has issued "a profound apology."
The plight of uber drivers? With their compulsory employment? I got tired of working for my employer and when I met with my director who was asking for my feedback on how we could bring back employee morale, he told me that my ideas were all good and on point, but our VP would never agree... so I looked for employment elsewhere. I voluntarily severed my relationship with the company and established a new one, again under voluntary terms. There are workers in the UAE who have their passports held where they are technically indentured servants, and we've got this guy somehow bitching about his voluntary employment terms?
Uber driver: “But people are not trusting you anymore. Do you think people will buy cars anymore? ... I lost $97,000 because of you. I'm bankrupt because of you. You keep changing every day. You keep changing every day.”
Not surprised the Uber CEO got the shits. The driver was blaming him for his misfortune and saying 'people don't trust him'. As soon as you say that that why would the CEO continue to want to discuss with him? The driver just said he doesn't trust him. If he's bankrupt why is he continuing to drive?
Gees, no, where it the money in that. The goal is to create the illusion of profitability to pump and dump in an IPO and wander off a scamming billionaire. This with the full backing of the psychopathic banskters who control the US government.
Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
The only thing he's sorry about is the fact he got CAUGHT. If there was no video, he certainly would NOT feel "ashamed", and the need to "grow up", and that driver would probably be finished. But his bitch-ass got caught, now he's sorry. What a douche.
I read linked article, and nothing in the transcript there stands out as wrong. You buy a $100K car to run Uber?! Take responsibility for your actions if it doesn't work out.
Yes, Uber shits on everyone. Yes, Uber isn't socially responsible company. No, in this case CEO wasn't wrong in pointing out that it was driver, and not Uber that f-up.
>> may cause some investors to question whether he has the disposition to lead a $69 billion company with a footprint that spans the globe.
> "Pleasant temperament" doesn't seem to be a requirement for being CEO.
I think the issue here isn't pleasant or unpleasant, but losing his cool a bit in a situation that shouldn't get a mature leader riled up. There's a time when being a dick might be the right move, when a smart person might *decide* to be aggressive. It doesn't look like he *chose* that as a tactic in this case, rather he lost his cool, he let emotions dictate his actions in an immature way. That's not the guy you want handling a billion dollar business deal - someone who will screw up a major deal because it's annoyed about some inconsequential thing. I want the opposite in a leader - John F. Kennedy very much kept his cool during the Cuban missile crisis, and possibly prevented World War 3 by being cool, calm, and collected - though not at all wimpy.
Anyway, back to "pleasant disposition". It seems to me that being pleasant isn't a strict rrequirement, but it does help. There *is* a type of effective leader who might be described as "brutally honest", "clear", "no bullshit", or "tough". MOST CEOs who are successful over the long term aren't the tough type, though. MOST are very easy to get along with, they are the type of people that inspire loyalty in the people they work with, the kinds of people board members want to work with, and make friends with all different kinds of powerful people who can make deals happen. You don't make a billion dollar deal with Ford by being a dick to the Ford people and pissing off the Ford CEO. Contrast Obama and Trump - Obama is likeable (even though I disagree with him) and became CEO of the country. This a year after he himself said it would be irresponsible for him to run for president because he had no relevant experience or qualifications - but people *liked* him. People were surprised Trump even got the R nomination. Trump is "tough", "says what he means without sugar-coating it", "asshole". That type occasionally rises to the top, but likeable is more often found on top.
It appears that the Uber CEO may understand that this is a weakness for him, that for him to continue as CEO and be successful, he needs to not be a prick in the future. Here's what he wrote on his email to all Uber employees:
Team -
By now I'm sure youâ(TM)ve seen the video where I treated an Uber driver disrespectfully. To say that I am ashamed is an extreme understatement. My job as your leader is to lead...and that starts with behaving in a way that makes us all proud. That is not what I did, and it cannot be explained away.
Itâ(TM)s clear this video is a reflection of meâ"and the criticism weâ(TM)ve received is a stark reminder that I must fundamentally change as a leader and grow up. This is the first time Iâ(TM)ve been willing to admit that I need leadership help and I intend to get it.
I want to profoundly apologize to Fawzi, as well as the driver and rider community, and to the Uber team.
First day on your new team, your boss tells you by office chat that he is in an open relationship with his boyfriend, and that he is having a hard time time finding partners, hint hint. You take screenshots to human resources, but they decline to take action because your boss is a "high performer" and it is his "first offense". Does that sound like "pretty much every corporation"? Go read this blog if you want to learn more. Although you may question the veracity of the account, since none of it has been or will ever be proven in a court of law, keep in mind that this women is taking a huge professional risk publishing this story her work experience at Uber. She could be sued for libel if any of it is wrong.
Pretty much every corporation.
So, the old "everybody does it" defense. That is baloney. Every big company has some unethical employees, but many companies have a basic culture of ethical responsibility. Uber is far worse than average, and the problem starts at the top. Travis Kalanick makes even Larry Ellison seem like a nice guy.
Disclaimer: I didn't watch the video.
Uber's corporate philosophy is do it and if you get caught, say you're sorry... And keep doing it.
His "apology" seems as if it may be worthless
The sad thing is that Uber as a concept was a great idea, but it has slowly spiraled into an evil disaster of a company. It is very likely rotten from the top, and if I were a shareholder, I would kick this CEO to the curb and find someone who was both competent and fair to clean house and shape up the company. Uber has been on the wrong side of so many stories lately. I suspect that their strategy is to try and hold on and keep marketshare until they can introduce autonomous driving cars, which will net them massive profits and let them kick all those pesky "contractor" drivers to the curb.
If you disagree, please post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like
Isn't Uber "Over" in German anyway? Kinda prophetic.
In English, "Over" can mean "above" or it can mean "finished". The German word "Uber" shares only the first meaning, but it can also mean "superior".
These sorts of unshared dual meanings are one of the things that makes machine translation difficult. For instance, in Chinese the word "kai" can mean "open" and it can also mean "turn on". So when a native Chinese speaker is learning English, they will sometimes ask someone to "open the light". This can be especially confusing since the English phrase "close the switch" when properly translated to Chinese is "open the switch".
....well, yeah?
Wanna buy a shirt?
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Yeah this is starting to look like a hit job. An 'uber did X' story every 2-3 days. Anyone willing to dig and see the connections? Too lazy myself to do it. But it smells 'odd' and put on.
Until recently almost all the Uber stories were presented as "cool disruptive Uber blocked by boring old laws yet again". This is just part of a correction to the overwhelmingly gushing treatment Uber have had here up to now.
And, of course, I must be a shill for the legendary and all-powerful Taxi Cartel for daring to criticise Uber.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
The video shows off Kalanick's pugnacious personality and short temper, which may cause some investors to question whether he has the disposition to lead a $69 billion company with a footprint that spans the globe.
"Pleasant temperament" doesn't seem to be a requirement for being CEO.
The point about being a CEO is that you are supposed to sublimate your more sociopathic tendencies in the pursuit of profit. Wasting energy on arguing with your minions is a clear sign that your priorities are not straight, this is why Uber's CEO now has to admit that he needs leadership training.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it