Given tomorrow starts the 2019 NSM, where Pearson will act like it’s a tech company (along with a catchy slogan, Re!magine), it’s only fitting that folks post updates in a singular thread. At least, it’ll keep everyone entertained and up to speed.
First check in starts tomorrow!!!
screw this company! we all deserve better than what pearson “offers”. been gone from this hellhole for almost two months and can say my life has never been better. i somehow justified sticking it out for too long. feels like i am finally free from an abusive relationship. if you have the chance, get out, save yourself! pure toxicity.
Just got back from AZ, and have been managing an email box full of upset customers waiting on inventory to ship, and others who need implementation help ASAP! I reminded them that PearsonIsTheSh*t, and we got our Swagger back, so they'll need to Re-imagine their needs and Chill out! They understood whats up!
Thanks RB!
To the last comment—and no offense to you or your plight (in terms of needing help) BUT Pearson and it’s “leadership” has made it WAY too easy for me to say, “not my job.”
Lack of job security. Poor pay. Longer hours. Etc.
Dog eat dog world. And too many years of looking out for others has gotten many people (including myself) no where. So, it’s time to look out for #1. (Me)
I will give the meeting high marks considering everything that is going on. However now I’m back and I’m dealing with the same c-ap and spending the majority of my day dealing with issues or database entry. Pearson doesn’t support customers well any longer while we have an army of Services and DSS people that appear to do little work except during the selling season. If reps start leaving this company is in a world of hurt.
"Swagger" was a certain McGraw-Hill President's favorite word to throw around the NSM in 2012.
Listen close: you are treated how you ALLOW yourself to be treated. You are marketable, valuable and underpaid. By a lot.
Toxic cesspool culture that will only get worse. Leaving was the best thing to happen to me.
I wonder who will leave faster, the remaining employees or customers? Newly found swagger only goes so far when you’ve kept leadership that lacks vision and has never worked outside the industry. They bring the same dinosaur thinking that got us in this mess. But they’ll keep telling KC what he wants to hear, then go back to golfing and drinking with reps instead of working.
Decisions on who stayed were based on tenure and geography, not what newer people who came from outside the industry could potentially do to turn the sinking ship around. Group think will continue, and the most influential leadership in the org will continue with status quo and it will trickle down to their people. If you challenge anything, ask questions, or come up with new ideas, you’ll be let go in the next reorg. Which will happen again because the people making the decisions on territory and alignment lack business acumen. And they don’t like anyone smarter than them to stick around.
In the meantime, my manager will never go to campus (per usual) and be picking her kids up from the bus at 3. While expecting me to visit all 10 of my schools in one week. So PEARSON is the sh–. And sh– isn’t going to change because the remaining people can’t change their way of thinking, despite the hours wasted on talking about it.
Swagger.
Yup, she never gets on campus. A– chewing would be her description if she actually worked.
Don't know about getting the swagger back. I saw a lot of unsure, insecure, scared, skeptical and lost sales people. It was a weird meeting. Clearly the execs were trying to humanize themselves. It was so obvious and cringeworthy. Where was this before? It comes off disingenuous and most people saw it. I'm just a very small piece of the overall puzzle and will do my very best - but the amount of BS being shoveled this week was astonishing.
Only other ridiculous item was how often RB said, “Pearson is the sh!t,” and, “we finally got our swagger back.”
Yes, 1 month from firing 54% of the sales force we managed to find our swagger. Considering how nothing has changed in that month in terms of product development, pricing change, etc., it was all of you losers who were let go that was preventing us from getting our swagger back. (
The brainwashing must be complete as more cheerleaders are posting about the great meeting on social media.
Any other scoop folks as many of us were expecting more dirt?
Playing with the backstabbers in the West.
Listen, any Sr Manager (VP+) at this company on a high horse is a joke. 5-8yr tenure sales reps are leaving and making more money than them.
You are worth more than you are at Pearson. BELIEVE ME.
King is the South is at more cheer competitions and golf outings than he is on campus. I am sure he will be playing tomorrow on the Desert Ridge property.
KOTS = BS. Although anytime you make a comment about him it’s deleted.
Wow...JulWats was laid off? Seriously, who is doing the work at the company now?
Who is the King of the South and I believe Watson was downsized.....
In the sessions it is obvious every knows our products aren’t very good anymore. Buggy, cumbersome, old and it seems ok for people to joke and laugh at the products we are selling. No hiding the age of our products any longer and the poor job the company has done with product development.
Ready for more news! At the halfway point right?
"Name a single digital initiative at Pearson that was successful. People posting today's announcement are just embarrassing themselves."
I'll name 4 .....
One Key
Ready Point
My Kit
Course Connect
Scared more employees are going to leave? They should be. And that customers will, too. Should be an interesting year ahead.
Management laid off a huge percentage of the company and now management appears scared the rest of the employees are going to leave. I haven’t seen anything that will make our products easier to use just more talk about the need to do so. Not looking good for Pearson.
The king of the south is all smiles at this meeting. Despite encouraging displaced reps to go to competitors and steal all Pearson business. Because it’s no longer his territory and he’s only loyal if there is a gain for him in that moment. Or a person he can use to look competent when he needs to. But yeah, keep smiling and fooling RB and KC. It’s clearly not that hard.
Cengage started a “digital first” initiative years ago. It included a loose leaf, because students (and instructors) actually do like some version of the book to touch, hold, and highlight. Even though the Cengage e-book allowed them to do all that, and included reach to speech options. But yeah, PEARSON is paving the way. Or opening the door to OER like TopHat. Where the authors are going to start running since there’s no longer skin in the game for them.
Are they doing cheerleading for their wannabee all digital campaign that they unveiled?
I'm hoping for better stories on Day 2; I expected more on today's thread....like which reps got drunk and cussed out KC, roommates fighting over who took snacks from mini bar, and the awful food forced to eat during tonight's opening reception. Please share people!
Whatever happened with the Watson artificial intelligence partnership? Did he get smart enough to quit?
I’m not sure I’ve met a person with any less sincerity than KC. Personality of a wet towel...
REVEL.
Lol.
Name a single digital initiative at Pearson that was successful. People posting today's announcement are just embarrassing themselves.
Is there any efficacy going on? lol
Then there's BK posting today, criticizing Pearson for being too slow, as if he invented All Digital.
"All Digital." BK said he would accomplish same in three years at McGraw Hill. Didn't.
Gotta give it to Pearson for ripping off the band-aid, if they actually follow through and execute on this. Easy to say. Difficult to execute. Otherwise, this is just the latest headline that gives what's left of the sales team something to go talk about on campus. Pearson's "All Digital" is just this year's "Cengage Unlimited."
All digital thoughts? Will this be our savior?
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48998789
Having a positive time. Honest vibe and good people. Company is back on track.
So who is presenting in the sessions given marketing and editorial folks are all wiped out?
Can you imagine being laid off, having to completely debase yourself by submitting a video about your love for Pearson, getting re-hired, and then posting pool pictures from the NSM just to keep up the appearances that your job is amazing?
It wasn’t small last year. Or hot. Just far. Luckily the stomach churning food and drinks that flowed all night made up for it. And since there’s so few managers this year hopefully I can rack up my bar tab with just drinks for me. Like the best of the best VPs do. And, let’s not forget, sneak a round or two of golf on PEARSONs dime too. I mean, that is why so many flew in early and are staying late. Thanks papa PEARSON. We appreciate you letting us spend so much money (all year round) on non generating revenue activities. That’s why we’re the best of the best and sinking faster than the rest. Glad they kept me around to reimagine.
Small, hot, and weird about sums it up. I keep expecting to see certain people but then I remember...
It's beautiful here. Nice and warm. I can't wait for the 45 Learning Stations and leaning about Holistic Account Management. Plus executive management will undoubtedly wow us with their innovative and exciting vision for the future.
It was "small" and the mood was "weird" last year!