April 9, 2012 marks the 100th day in your reign as IBM’s President and CEO.
But April 24, 2012 may well define your legacy. When you address the IBM shareholders at the Annual Meeting in North Charleston, South Carolina, how will you position yourself ?
Will you stand idly by while the Augusta National Golf Club slaps you and all females in the face, sanctioned by IBM’s lucrative acquiescence and sponsorship ???
My dentist has a sign that reads: “Ignore your teeth, and they will go away !”
Ignoring this Augusta National Golf controversy will not make it go away. Actually, just the opposite happens to be the case.
On April 24th, Ms. Rometty, you have a golden opportunity to put, or shut up ! Not making waves just won’t cut it. And time is not your friend, but history can be if you take a stand, and take it now.
People call someone a leader when he or she leads. They call him or her a lot of other things when he or she does not lead.
The former United States Senator Carol Moseley-Braun noted that it was harder for her to be a woman than an African-American.
Some things have changed.
Some have not.
This timeless challenge is yours, Ms. Rometty - “…and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
Posted by Madame P J Bailey, April 8, 2012. Updated April 10, 2012.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS ITEMS
An Open Letter To IBM CEO Virginia Rometty
http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/08/virginia-rometty-ibm-augusta-eileen-burbidge/
Masters 2012: Should IBM CEO Virginia Rometty get Augusta membership?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-user-polls/post/masters-2012-ibm-ceo-virginia-rometty-augusta-national-membership/2012/04/05/gIQAZ9ZNxS_blog.html
IBM's Ginny Rometty In Tougher Position Than Augusta National's Billy Payne
http://www.cnbc.com/id/46955358
New IBM CEO Ginni Rometty creates potential dilemma for Augusta National's male-only membership policy
http://www.nj.com/golf/index.ssf/2012/03/new_ibm_ceo_ginni_rometty_crea.html
A Tradition That Needs to Change
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303772904577331862255216658.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories
Sexism at Augusta National (or, when false objectivity gets in the way of the facts)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/mahaatal/2012/04/09/sexism-at-augusta-national/