Facebook employees love their boyish boss. Glassdoor ranked Mark Zuckerberg the most liked CEO last spring, with 99% of Facebookers approving of his leadership. But with relatively low consumer approval ratings, a diversity of opinions on campus might make business better.

One person wondered aloud on Quora why Zuckerberg's rating was so high, suggesting lower marks could "be a good thing." An employee took off, oozing levels of affection for their boss that is typically reserved for the likes of Jim Jones.

"Because he is just that awesome," began the love letter disguised as a response.

When we hear him speak, he gives us brain wrinkles. He has this uncanny ability to make all the right strategic moves, and when he explains the reasons for making those moves, it simply makes sense. Sure, mistakes have been made, and hindsight is 20/20, but at decision time, it was for all the right reasons.

Brain wrinkles? Do employees also stare longingly out the window, waiting for him to drive into the office parking lot in the morning? Do they gasp as his mouth opens? Do tears stream down employees' cheeks when they hear one of his many apologies?

What other CEO has the... guts... to purchase a chat company for $19B??? It's a very smart purchase for various reasons, but still, $19B! Even other Silicon Valley CEOs acknowledge Zuck's fearlessness.

"Guts" could be one way to describe Facebook's $19 billion purchase of WhatsApp. Insanity could be another.

He was the biggest donor of 2013, and is generally a minimalist. He is clearly committed to Internet.org, even though that's not necessarily where the short term revenue increases are. We really feel he wants to change the world for the better.

This adoration is becoming unmistakable from the dystopian hero worship of the fictional Eamon Bailey described in Dave Egger's The Circle. The brain wrinkles when he speaks. The unwavering faith that it's For The Greater Good. And there's the constant use of "we"—an implication that the author believes all staffers adore Zuckerberg as one giant throbbing heart.

He wears T-Shirts and jeans, talks with humility, and he just seems generally very approachable. We like that.

Is there anything this dude doesn't love about Zuckerberg? Are employees seriously gathering around the cafeteria to discuss their bosses' wardrobe in hushed tones? Approachability is good, and I guess jeans can help make Zuckerberg affable. But approachability only makes the difference between a boss and a dick boss.

The free food and perks: Yes, this makes us like him and the company too. He has the ability to put an end to it at any time, but he keeps it coming :-). If somebody gives me free cookies, I like them, this part is not rocket science.

But really, when it comes to Zuck harnessing cult-like loyality, all it took were cookies. Who knew Facebook employees were so cheap?

Read the entire response below:

Because he is just that awesome.

There are several reasons why we "approve" of him:

  • The story: He built this billion user and billion dollar company from his dorm room, overcame one obstacle after another, and assembled a company with the most talented employees in the world.
  • The principles: He is dead-focused on "making the world more open and connected." The guy doesn't waver; all the investments in R&D and acquisitions have been along these lines.
  • The heart: He was the biggest donor of 2013, and is generally a minimalist. He is clearly committed to Internet.org, even though that's not necessarily where the short term revenue increases are. We really feel he wants to change the world for the better.
  • The guts: What other CEO has the... guts... to purchase a chat company for $19B??? It's a very smart purchase for various reasons, but still, $19B! Even other Silicon Valley CEOs acknowledge Zuck's fearlessness: http://read.bi/1n24ctW
  • The wisdom: When we hear him speak, he gives us brain wrinkles. He has this uncanny ability to make all the right strategic moves, and when he explains the reasons for making those moves, it simply makes sense. Sure, mistakes have been made, and hindsight is 20/20, but at decision time, it was for all the right reasons.
  • The trust: He doesn't make all the decisions, in fact far from it. We feel entrusted and empowered to drive our features the way we feel is best for the people that use Facebook. This is drastically different from many top-down corporations. We're happy with the balance between management-mandated and grass-roots-inspired decision making.
  • The character: He wears T-Shirts and jeans, talks with humility, and he just seems generally very approachable. We like that.
  • The business: Facebook is a rock solid business that is rapidly increasing in revenue as we speak. It makes more than 70% more in revenue than it was making just one year ago.
  • The free food and perks: Yes, this makes us like him and the company too. He has the ability to put an end to it at any time, but he keeps it coming :-). If somebody gives me free cookies, I like them, this part is not rocket science.

And, no, having a lower approval rating is not a good thing. People don't "approve" because they agree with everything, rather they know that they have a say, and that their opinion matters. It's a good thing to like your boss.

To contact the author of this post, please email kevin@valleywag.com.

[Photo: Getty]