Hewlett-Packard’s problems can all be traced back to a personality conflict between former Chairman Patricia Dunn and Board Member Tom Perkins. In the Monday, October 9, 2006 Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com), George Anders and Alan Murray go into great detail about the history of the conflict and its serious fallout. The article, “Behind H-P Chairman’s Fall, Clash With a Powerful Director,” also contained this sidebar…

It’s pretty clear that this all can be traced back to a personality conflict between the two. They really couldn’t be much more different. My favorite – and I think the most telling – part of Perkins’ personality is the fact that the book he recommends is his own. Dunn, on the other hand, recommends “Corporate Governance and Chairmanship.”

So, personality can be a powerful thing. Watch out for it. In sales, it could be the difference. The problem? Personality transplants aren’t available. Yet.

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