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Find out the three biggest stories that rocked the tech industry this year involving executives who resigned from their respective posts.

Life has always been full of surprises. Even the highest-paid and most respected honchos in the technology arena, who are often perceived as ready and able to dodge big business problems with the sleight of a hand are not completely excused from getting their heads up on the chopping block. Just like in politics and government, scandals that eventually lead to resignations can trigger a change in the dynamics and landscape of any tech-centric business – especially when their personal issues are brought into question.

In most cases in fact, such resignations become highly publicized because of the ‘shock’ factor or the element of surprise that they bring into the table.

Stephen Sinofsky of Microsoft

In what perhaps could be hailed as *the* tech resignation of 2012, Steven Sinofsky left Microsoft in a huff barely weeks after the release of the much-awaited Windows 8 and the Surface tablet. After working for Microsoft for 23 years, the veteran exec who saved the company from the debacle that is Vista and led the computing giant towards the critical turn to Windows 7 (and eventually Windows 8) decided to leave due to undisclosed personal reasons. In a lengthy email sent to employees, which doesn’t exactly shed light on the reasons why he left, he said:

"Some might notice a bit of chatter speculating about this decision or timing. I can assure you that none could be true as this was a personal and private choice that in no way reflects any speculation or theories one might read—about me, opportunity, the company or its leadership."

This resignation came in as a surprise to a lot of people because many insiders, including the general public, perceive Sinofsky as the next Microsoft CEO after Steve Ballmer. Speculations abound, however, that the resigned exec was painful to work with, and lacked the ability to foster teamwork across his unit.

Scott Thompson of Yahoo

This year, newly installed Yahoo! chief executive Scott Thompson resigned following a resume scandal that rocked the tech industry. In January of 2012, Yahoo! hired Thompson as CEO after recognizing the excellent work he has done for previous employers like PayPal, Visa, and Barclays. Not long after, activist investor Dan Loeb of Third Point LLC publicly released a controversial letter detailing how Thompson reportedly embellished his academic credentials by claiming that he earned a computer science degree aside from his accounting degree. The shakeup quickly became a subject of discussion in business and tech circles because Yahoo!’s Board of Directors clearly failed in identifying and hiring a new CEO by overlooking the very basic task of background checking.

Brian Dunn of Best Buy

Last April, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn quit his post amid allegations of personal misconduct, which the company later investigated. As it turns out, a 29-year-old woman who worked as a “Leadership Institute Coordinator” for the company headquarters named Dayna Cline allegedly had an affair with Dunn, which supports the electronic retail company’s earlier accusation that the official “used company resources to carry out an inappropriate relationship” with an employee. However, Best Buy has neither confirmed nor denied that Cline is indeed the ‘mystery woman’ involved in the controversy.

In hindsight, having the title of CEO for a phone service company when you’re 29, for instance, doesn’t automatically guarantee you another 40 years on that spot. Being on top doesn’t mean that you’ve firmly planted your feet on safe ground – it even makes you more vulnerable and more open to scrutiny and criticism. Job security isn’t as you know it. One wrong move like delivering unpromising results, putting lies in resumes, or having extra-marital affairs with an employee can trigger decision makers to sack even the mightiest powers-that-be.

Author Bio:
Monique Jones is an Engineer who deals with telephone systems. Besides being an Engineer, she also works as a part time writer. She helps her colleagues and other people about their communication issues, giving effective solutions to address their needs.