Remember how there used to be a blog (or maybe it was a Tumblr, I forget) that documented every "Our incredible journey" post that inevitably announced the start-up's closure?
I think we need another one for "An update from <company>", as this has seemingly become the standard subject to use when you're announcing layoffs or data breaches. I saw an identical headline earlier today from Sony announcing a studio closure:
When a CEO takes full responsibility for these things it doesn't mean that they submit themselves to the punishment that internet users might want. It's the CEO telling their impacted employees that, no matter how well you did as an employee, you would still have been impacted. It's the CEO showing you empathy for the hurt they cause you for having failed to steer the company in a viable direction.
These messages are obviously never going to be well received, but at least people can find comfort in the fact that it's because Dropbox is shifting direction and strategy and not because they were bad employees. Stuff like this happens in business. Maybe you've focused on private sales and want to shift to enterprise sales or fund investments at which point your company no longer needs it's sales and marketing departments because the company mission will be radically different. Changing course is a CEO taking responsibility for the company.
I think a lot of people misunderstand the statement 'I take responsibility.' They are not actually taking responsibility for the company's situation. They are owning the decision to make these layoffs.
In what other realm of life does "taking full responsibility" absolve you from any consequences? It "shows empathy," what? Suspect: "I murdered someone and take full responsibility, and I empathize with the victim's next of kin," Judge: "Thank you for your candor all is forgiven, you're off scot free"
If a CEO did not take full responsibility, what would be different?
> In what other realm of life does "taking full responsibility" absolve you from any consequences?
Very early in my career I accidentally deleted every IP phone in the municipality where I was working. It was because they didn't have a test setup and the documentation didn't the SysAdmin gave me weren't updated. It was still my fault though and the first thing I did was to tell the IT manager thinking I'd get in trouble. I didn't. He told me he wasn't happy that I had deleted all the phones, but that it was good that I had come to him directly and taken responsibility.
Because when you take responsibility in the adult world, it means that you can work from there. As such it's both ridiculous and disingenuous when you compare a perfectly normal consequences of doing business with committing a crime. It's also a little weird to do so on HN considering this is a VC site.
>It's the CEO showing you empathy for the hurt they cause you for having failed to steer the company in a viable direction.
Nah, screw that. So may CEOs get told by workers this is a horrible route, drive straight into a wall, then show "empathy" for their bloody nose as they throw the passengers off a cliff?
That's not empathy, that saving face.
>Stuff like this happens in business
Stupid stuff always happens. Doesn't mean we shouldn't call out stupid stuff every-time it comes up. I won't accept "it is what it is" when livliehoods are at stake.
I always think it's a bit weird how people put so much effort and angst into (over)analyzing the language that execs use in layoff announcements in the first place.
It's a layoff. Yeah, it sucks, and no matter what the CEO says people will be pissed. Better to just take the same good advice as when starting a new relationship: "Just ignore everything they say, and only consider what they do." I.e. is the severance package good? Are folks given some assistance/recommendations finding new jobs? If so, I couldn't care less about what the preamble in the layoff announcement looks like.
>t's a bit weird how people put so much effort and angst into (over)analyzing the language that execs use in layoff announcements in the first place.
It's professional passive-aggression. That's more angering than just saying "we need more money, we are laying off people". That "language" is what you're expected to do in the office half your life and it's a tiring waste of time keeping up false pleasantries.
If you don't know, look up the Umbridge effect. Sometimes the petty evils that pretend to be civil stings harder than the pure evils. Not many of us have a Voldamort in our lives. We all have an Umbridge.
I think we need another one for "An update from <company>", as this has seemingly become the standard subject to use when you're announcing layoffs or data breaches. I saw an identical headline earlier today from Sony announcing a studio closure:
https://sonyinteractive.com/en/news/blog/an-update-from-play...