Spicing up our achievements
Yahoo's boss was forced to quit after misrepresentation of academic credentials
Let the resignation of Yahoo's Chief Executive Scott Thompson from the digital media company be a lesson to all who are tempted to embellish their curriculum vitae with lies of the little or large variety. Thompson was forced to quit after a dissident shareholder called attention to his apparent misrepresentation of his academic credentials, and Ross Levinsohn, formerly Yahoo's executive vice-president, has been named as interim chief executive.
The resignation is a victory for activist shareholder Daniel Loeb of the hedge fund Third Point, who had repeatedly questioned Thompson's representation of his degrees. Loeb had been motivated by the direction of Yahoo as the struggling internet search company failed to keep pace with Google and Facebook in the race for web advertising.
There is always a temptation to add a little extra masala to spice up our achievements. But even the slightest lie can come back to haunt us. Be warned.
