Since the beginning of December, two prominent CEOs have experience major life changes, according to The Washington Post.
Mark Zuckerberg, the 31-year-old CEO of Facebook, and his wife Priscilla Chan, MD, announced the birth of their daughter on Dec. 1. Nine days later, Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer posted an announcement about the arrival of her twin daughters on her Tumblr blog.
Though these timing of these hallmark events likely have something to do with Mr. Zuckerberg and Ms. Meyer's young age, the open announcements expose a new trend among CEOs. "[I]t's ... a sign of the increasing ways that business leaders are choosing to reveal more about themselves — even if in their own carefully scripted ways — as well as the heightened expectations we have for them to do so," wrote Jena McGregor in The Washington Post.
Throughout the year, numerous CEOs have been sharing personal news. Mr. Zuckerberg revealed he and his wife had suffered three miscarriages. Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, openly discussed her grief after losing her husband, Dave Goldberg. Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna, discussed a near-death experience and his interest in yoga with The New York Times.
Though some CEOs do choose to keep their personal lives private, the growing trend certainly humanizes them. "Talking about the things that happen in their lives outside of work makes them both more accessible and more credible, particularly among the swath of their workforce who are millennials," wrote Ms. McGregor.