Steve Jobs – Why Does His Health Need to be So Tightly Tied to the Stock Market and the SEC

With the focus on the economy today, this is a prime example of where some of our heads seem to be today, in the money cloud perhaps instead of showing a little compassion and humanly concern. Sure, when you are in a public position there are demands and some loss of privacy, but when you look at what happened yesterday with Michael Jackson, these are real people who have stress too. Does anyone realize that the press and opinions in the press have an effect on the individual? When Mr. Jobs became ill, was it the interest in his well being or the SEC wanting an inquisition that took center stage?

The SEC Probe and Steve Jobs – Inquiring Investors?

We live in a world today of transparency, but demand privacy when it comes to healthcare, so can we perhaps entertain taking Mr. Jobs off the chopping block here and allow some human dignity as he has some very serious illnesses that don’t need to be played out into a circus for investors as it’s hard enough to focus on getting well for anyone. Maybe he needs a PHR to decide what to share as he desires to keep everyone at will? He would definitely be a first in this area too as I don’t see any other role models stepping forward that preach to us about transparency. In the meantime, can we leave him alone and focus on what he’s doing now that he is returning to work instead of his health? BD

Steve Jobs’ health is the center of a discussion about CEO privacy — again! And once again it is a divisive issue. Doubt me? See the comments on my friend Joe Nocera’s post. They say he hates Jobs, that he is using his illness for his own publicity and worse. Many claim to be Apple investors, saying that because they are fine with what Jobs is doing, Nocera should be.

And people wonder why they lose money in the stock market …

CEO privacy on health matters is typically complicated. Putting personal issues aside, a CEO that goes into too much detail about his health problems can unnecessarily undermine his ability to lead. If a CEO is hospitalized for an asthma attack do his investors have a right to know? Untreated asthma attacks kills people all the time. I side with the privacy advocates on that one.

When Will Steve Jobs Level With His Investors About His Health? | Epicenter | Wired.com