The Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Leadership Of Niraj Shah

Or how one CEO learned to make his company's stock prices go up 16% and all he had to do was ruin the lives of 1,650 families.

Less than three weeks ago, I published an essay focused on the tone-deaf and idiotic year -end email sent by the CEO of the online furniture hawker, Wayfair. Niraj Shah, the Chief Executive at the Boston based home goods outlet came under fire in late December from me and other critics for a year end message to his employees that essentially told them to work harder and smarter with no hint of appreciation or personal empathy.

Shah’s poorly written screed played more like a list of things he wanted to get for free from his employees than a pleasant holiday message. He insisted that in the coming year, employees would be required to work longer hours, maintain greater concentration, and for them to view Wayfair expenses to be as important as their own household budget. It was nothing more than the ramblings of an out of touch corner office honcho shitting on his staff while using language that made it seem as though he were “showing his appreciation”.