I know The Register is never too kind to IBM, but do we really have to make it this easy for them?
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/06/28/ibm_chief_rometty_texas_staff/
10 replies (most recent on top)
Seen it first hand
this is for Ginni
This is for real - I was at IBM Hursley when she visited there and we got the same type of micromanagement emails. Only specially selected people (mostly youngsters) were even allowed to be present at the town hall meeting. She was driven in a luxury Mercedes from where the helicopter landed to the building (a whole 100 meters if that). And this was just days after imposing draconian restrictions on travel expenses. You would be hard pushed to actually make this stuff up. I left of my own accord shortly afterwards - it had all become too dysfunctional for my taste.
"She has scared and threatened many execs and has an ego that requires no questions asked. Does not like to deal with the little people. Seen it first hand."
I am not clear whether this refers to the CEO or the author of the email or both. If this is the case for the author of the email, then that would explain why an IBMer would forward the email to the media in retaliation.
So why does she go at all?
As a current IBMer, and an executive level, it is not fake. She has scared and threatened many execs and has an ego that requires no questions asked. Does not like to deal with the little people. Seen it first hand.
Most of these "media" companies survive by promoting clicks to their web page, stories, and comments. I no longer work at IBM, so I don't know if the internal memo is fake or not. I do know that it would not be difficult to write a fake email to look like it came from someone's real Lotus Notes ID and include some juicy factoids sufficient to make the email look credible.
This is the perfect example of the Emporer has no clothes. This is so sad and is why IBM is failing.
I think El Reg may be hitting a new record on views, comments, and likes so far. I bet they would like to get their hands on some more IBM internal communications like this one -even fakes ones.
auz, yes that made me laugh also. I also liked the comments about beans, sprouts, cabbage, air biscuits, and grundle rumbles.
"El Reg wondered if there was a contingency plan was for any hapless staffers caught in the middle of a robust bio-break when Rometty needed to spend a penny or two."
Made me laugh.