People at Yahoo don't eat Peanut Butter

Well, if they listen to Brad Garlinghouse (SVP at Yahoo), they won't. Brad is a person after my own heart - he says it as it is - not mincing his words - Yahoo is in a mess today. Brad blasts Yahoo for the state they are in today and provides recommendations in his 'Peanut Butter Manifesto'

The company has so much potential and enjoys an enviable position with its depth and breadth of content and functionality and yet cannot stand on its own against Google.

And why is this the case? ... "a lack of focus with unclear ownership" to quote Brad. A quick look at their acquisition strategy gives us an idea of the lack of coordination and mad rush to be 'out there' with features - a clear indication of lack of focus. Compare their competing feature set, that confuses the heck out of me:

• YME vs. Musicmatch

• Flickr vs. Photos

• YMG video vs. Search video

• Deli.cio.us vs. myweb

• Messenger and plug-ins vs. Sidebar and widgets

• Social media vs. 360 and Groups

• Front page vs. YMG

• Global strategy from BU'vs. Global strategy from Int'l

Why so many competing products? Why hasn't there been a process of natural selection where the leaders promoted and laggards sunsetted? One may argue that Google has its own set of competing offerings - take Google Video and YouTube for example - but I am sure they will do a good job of integrating the offerings soon. To conclude, this is the three stepped proposal Brad concludes with:

1. Focus the vision
2. Restore accountability and clarity of ownership
3. Execute a radical reorganization

With today's announcement regarding changes at Yahoo's senior management, clearing the path for Susan Decker (former CFO) to succeed Chief Executive Terry Semel, it might be signs of change.