Forbes.com's Matthew Kirhady looks at Santa's positives and negatives as a 21st century business leader.
Does Claus, the perennial nice guy, have his company in position to flourish in a modern, uber-competitive corporate environment? Do the old ways work? Should he consider passing the baton? Even the "Oracle of Omaha" Warren Buffett, who gets a couple hours of sleep a night and oversees Berkshire Hathaway at age 77, admits he can't work forever. He's named a few possible successors. Claus speaks of no one to take his place.
While Buffett is the second richest man in the world on the Forbes list, what's Claus pulling down after taxes? Is he one of the righteous CEO-founders who take a meager salary because money, especially almost 200 years in the business, matters not?
Kurt Ronn, president and founder of HRworks, an executive recruitment firm that works exclusively with blue-chip companies, likes Claus for the job.
"He would be a great CEO," Ronn said. "He's a great leader, a strong innovator. He has shown a proven ability to perform over time. He also has a certain charisma about him that people like."
However ...
Claus is too cryptic to be boss of a public corporation. No one would tolerate it. There are too many questions about what goes on behind the scenes. Maybe the board of elves should step up and exercise some accountability. And we need full disclosure--bonuses, recreational sleigh use, other? Does Mrs. Claus really have the time to keep up with changing regulatory requirements or the nuances of Sarbanes-Oxley?
But let's give him some credit. The guy does know how to use his face to plug a business. His deal with Coca-Cola alone must make enough to keep the workshop generators running for a while. Then again, while his personal image is undoubtedly strong, there's no Santa brand. Essentially, we're just investing in a once-a-year shipping service. What if the likes of Sony, Nintendo and Mattel quit outsourcing to the North Pole?
Yet, he's reliable whether you're naughty or nice. Investors love consistency. Every year on the same night you could guarantee an empty plate of cookies, some presents and possibly coal. He's also got an unshakeable, reassuring temperament. Forget inflationary pressures. Forget a down-trodden housing market. Forget heavy financial losses as a result of subprime bets gone sour. Ho ho ho!