John Chambers-Cisco's Driving Force
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Case Details:
Case Code : LDEN016
Case Length : 11 Pages
Period : 1991-2002
Pub Date : 2002
Teaching Note :Not Available
Organization : Cisco Systems Incorporated Industry : Computer Networking
Countries : USA
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Please note:
This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. It is not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. Nor is it a primary information source.
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Introduction Contd...
Chambers' leadership skills and crisis management
abilities were particularly appreciated when he pulled Cisco out of
its worst-ever financial performance - a net loss of $1 billion in
the financial year 2000-01.
Background Note
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John Chambers was born on August 23, 1949 in Charleston, West Virginia, US. His
father, Jack Chambers was an obstetrician and gynecologist, while his mother,
June Chambers was a psychologist. During his childhood days, Chambers suffered
from a learning disability, dyslexia.5 His
schoolmates teased him about his disability. Though this demoralized him, it
made him more determined to overcome it. Concerned about his educational
prospects, his parents sent him to Lorena Anderson, who was an expert in
learning disabilities. Under her treatment, which lasted for two years, he was
able to overcome most of his problems and fared reasonably well at school. This
experience taught him to empathize with people, especially those who were in
difficulty, and attempt to solve their problems.
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This experience also enhanced his confidence as he had overcome a major
weakness. Chambers obtained two degrees - a JD6
(Juris Doctor) degree, and a degree in business, from West Virginia
University in 1974. In 1975, Chambers obtained an MBA degree in finance and
management from Indiana University, Bloomington.
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In January 1976, Chambers joined IBM as a trainee in
the sales department. He was attracted by the salary and also by the
likely exposure he would gain in the information technology (IT) field.
Within four years of joining, Chambers was offered a managerial position
in IBM. He was known for his aggressive nature, which was of use to him
as a salesperson.
However, Chambers was not happy with the bureaucratic culture at IBM.
The employees were not encouraged to express their stand on relevant
issues to their seniors. Chambers felt that IBM was focusing its
resources too heavily on mainframes, and was not responding actively to
the changes in the IT industry... |
Excerpts >>
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