Ever since Silicon Valley started turning out companies with beautiful growth charts, entrepreneurs and their investors have talked about the need for “adult supervision”—a seasoned executive who can take over a startup from its inexperienced founders, guide it through the hazards of hyperkinetic expansion, and convert a great idea or breakthrough technology into a bona fide business. Today, however, young founders generally want to remain at the helm of their companies, and there’s a new shorthand for the kind of leader who’s willing to serve as a second-in-command, complementing without overshadowing the wunderkind entrepreneur: a Sheryl Sandberg. As in, “we’re growing, but God knows how we’ll make money. What we really need is a Sheryl Sandberg.”

via Why Facebook Needs Sheryl Sandberg – BusinessWeek.