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A "boomerang employee" is someone who leaves a company, often at a high level like a CEO, only to return to the same company later on in a similar leadership position. It's like throwing a boomerang: they leave, but they come back.
Some examples of boomerang CEOs include:
- Steve Jobs: He co-founded Apple, left in 1985, and returned in 1997 to lead the company to unprecedented success.
- Howard Schultz: The former CEO of Starbucks left in 2000 but returned in 2008 to help revitalize the company during a challenging time.
- Louis Gerstner Jr.: He left IBM in 1993 but returned in 1997 as CEO, leading a significant turnaround of the company.
- Michael Dell: He stepped down as CEO of Dell in 2004 but returned in 2007 to lead the company's transformation efforts.
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Discussion
Do you know any famous examples of a boomerang CEO? Who are they and have they been a success?
Do you work with any boomerang employees? How's that going? If you don't, would you like to? Why or Why not?
Do you believe in second chances? Explain your thinking.
Do you prefer to take the easy, fast path? Or do you prefer a challenge? How come?