In light of Uber's mounting troubles, chiefly with the revelation of the company's instances of internal sexist abuse, Travis Kalanick last week admitted that he needed leadership help. Now, it seems he's actually searching for it.
Uber Now Seeking For Chief Operating Officer
The Uber CEO on Tuesday, March 7, told employees that the company was "actively looking" for a chief operating officer, or COO: a peer who can partner with Kalanick "to write the next chapter in [Uber's] journey."
Seeking for a COO is Uber's attempt to quash the unrest surrounding the company's operations, let alone its oft-regarded brash CEO, who once called Uber "Boober," his coinage for attracting women. Kalanick was most recently caught on video in a tense exchange with an Uber driver accusing him of disregarding original drivers in Uber's business decisions.
Many critics have put pressure on the company in light of its series of PR troubles or appalling internal news emerging from what some call a toxic workplace and organizational culture.
Uber's Recent Media Maelstroms
Tales of Uber's blatant disregard for sexual harassment occurring inside the company, detailed by former Uber engineer Susan J. Fowler, received the most attention, but Forbes notes that Uber has been a mess in 2017. The ride-hailing company's self-driving experiments in San Francisco hasn't sailed smoothly, its alleged exploitation of Trump's immigration ban for business tactics prompted the #DeleteUber campaign, and now Google's Waymo has sued it for allegedly using stolen IP.
Kalanick said last week that he needed to "fundamentally change as a leader and grow up." The inclusion of a COO, though largely depending on the individual of choice, would put him or her more directly involved with decisions influencing the company's business and culture. Despite calls for him to vacate his position, Kalanick still intends to retain his post.
Uber has been experimenting with its expansion beyond its identity as a taxi substitute. The company now has a fleet of self-driving cars it's eager to integrate into operations, and in late 2016, Kalanick stated that Uber was in the initial stages of becoming a robotics company, CNET notes. The company, however, hasn't talked about plans for an IPO, leaving it bedfellows with other companies waiting in the stock exchange sidelines, such as Airbnb.
Uber, however, isn't only looking for a COO. It's also looking to fill the board seat by David Drummond, a Google executive, and for the position, Uber is eyeing women, according to Recode.
However, the investigation of concerning sexual harassment claims inside Uber's workplace, helmed by former Attorney General Eric Holder, continues. Holder provides weekly reports to a subcommittee consisting of three board members. Holder's report is expected to arrive in six weeks, maybe more. This also includes a diversity report, which Kalanick promised when announcing the independent investigation of the sexual harassment claims.
It's clear that Uber is conducting a company-wide cleanup, so as to sandblast the company's troubling woes. Of course, a new COO won't singlehandedly fix those. It, however, presents an opportunity for Uber and, by extension, Kalanick, to straighten things.
