OK. I always play devil's advocate, even to defend corp culture, which makes my skin crawl. 2 facts- often CEO's have huge investments in stock options, which are only as valuable as their success continues. Also, a CEO is only worth his last mistake, track record means everything. Captain sinks w/the ship. Golden parachutes are a hiring incentive but some incompetents just cash out on 'em, if they aren't replaced/dismissed beforehand (which does wonders for investor confidence!) and walk away saying "oops" on the way to early retirement.