Question Of The Day: What Does Your CEO Drive And What Does That Say About Them?
I was reading a very interesting article yesterday in USA Today. It was discussing what CEOs drive and what does that say about them. You may know that Sam Walton drove a pickup truck and Warren Buffet drove an older model Lincoln Town Car. A survey was done by Theladders.com , a job-search site for those making over $100,000 - and interviewed 3,000 people. BMW (13%) was the most popular make driven by the C-level executives on the survey.
I found some pretty amazing things mentioned in the survey:
- 7% said they have tried to hide their car from co-workers
- 5% of all execs timed their departure so more people can get a glimpse of their car
- 2% of C-level execs said they have pretended that someone else’s car was their own
I was shocked as I read those things, thinking, “does that really happen?” I am not sure I recall a single time where a boss of mine pretended that they owned someone else’s car.
- If the CEO drives a car that is an older model — does that make them cheap?
- If they drive a sports car, does that mean they live life in the fast lane?
- If the CEO drives a minivan does that make them practical?
Do you know what your CEO drives?
What does that say about them?
I happen to drive a BMW — what does that say about me?
I am a little scared asking the last question but I do look forward to your comments.
January 18th, 2008 at 9:37 am
If the CEO drives a minivan does that make them practical?
If a CEO drives a minivan, that probably makes them a doting grandparent. I know this from personal experience.
I used to work for a woman who was fairly well known in the community and still young enough to be of childbearing age (arguably). She learned she was going to be a grandmother. Ever the smartass, I suggested that in anticipation of becoming a doting grandmother, she purchase a very visible car seat, display it prominently in the back seat of her Ford Explorer, and let the rumors fly.
By the way, I drive a Nissan Altima hybrid, so that makes me green.
Cars serve various roles. They gain you a certain amount of respectability, or fit the image you want to portray, or need to portray because of your job. Then you can be a billionaire like Warren Buffet and not really give a hoot about your image because everyone knows you are the nicest billionaire in the world.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 am
i drive a benz…..and my manager drives a bright yellow pick up truck. now you tell me what that says. oh…it is black and a convertable!