Good traits compound value. Bad traits destroy it — fast
Good traits compound value. Bad traits destroy it — fast.
Travis Kalanick scaled Uber from an idea into a global force. But his leadership also built instability into the system.
→ Arrogance drowned out accountability.
→ Inflexibility blocked course correction.
→ Aggression turned culture into toxicity.
A 2018 Harvard Law School Forum analysis found that Uber’s governance — dual-class shares, a founder-centric board, and values that rewarded “hustle” over integrity — magnified the problem.
When structure protects behavior instead of performance, collapse becomes a matter of timing.
The market didn’t derail Uber. Leadership did — through unchecked ego, blurred ethics, and an organization built to follow personality, not principle.
At Eagle Talon, we don’t just underwrite business models. We underwrite leadership models — the judgment, temperament, and integrity that determine how decisions compound.
Because in public markets, behavior is capital — and value follows character.
👉 Which CEO’s traits are the biggest hidden risk you see today?
🔗 Source: Harvard Law School Forum — Governance Gone Wild: Misbehavior at Uber Technologies