While it's not necessary to read too much into one-time mistakes, it is important to promote positive behavior and try to learn from other executives' missteps.
Over the course of her CEO tenure, Marissa Mayer has been a divisive figure for several reasons, but the latest controversy surrounding her has nothing to do with her plans for Yahoo. Instead, it centers around a more human error: punctuality.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a Cannes Lions advertising event where Mayer was supposed to make an appearance. A dinner meeting with representatives from several brands could have been a major opportunity for Mayer and her company.
However, Mayer arrived around two hours later than she was scheduled to, with the explanation that she had overslept.
It is tempting to see this as a sign of some greater failure on Mayer's part, or a fumble for the company she represents. And while it's important for companies to select someone who is punctual and takes meetings seriously, it's also worthwhile to identify a candidate who can bounce back from errors such as these. Alexia Tsotsis points out this aspect of the story.
"CEOs are sometimes late," Tsotsis writes. "Sometimes it's because people won't stop asking them for things, sometimes it's because they've done meetings for five hours straight, sometimes it's because they're in a time zone that's nine hours forward from the one they're usually in. And sometimes it's because they're freaked out after an unpredictably difficult interview."
With this in mind, companies can take advantage of the expertise and reach of a global executive search firm to find someone who is capable of handling gaffes productively and effectively.
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