Comments on: Laying off George

By: Black Phoebe :: Ms. Jen: design + web Archives

Black Phoebe :: Ms. Jen: design + web Archives — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:17:08 +0000

[...] and Jeffrey both weigh in on George getting laid off. by Black Phoebe :: Ms. Jen on Mon December 15, 2008 [...]

By: The BFF: 08_12

The BFF: 08_12 — Sat, 09 May 2009 01:50:40 +0000

[...] George Oates has been let go at Flickr. That feels all wrong’ a few days ago. Jeffrey Zeldman is as dumbfounded as I am of the move. If you visit the Flickr home page You will even see George. Totally weird. She [...]

By: Archivalia: Tragedy at Flickr Commons

Archivalia: Tragedy at Flickr Commons — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:52:16 +0000

[...] to whoever is to take it over: “A week should do it,” I said. It was denied. Worth to read more. http://www.zeldman.com/2008/12/16/laying-off-george/ “George Oates is the last person a sane company would lay off.” UPDATE: [...]

By: Karen Anderson

Karen Anderson — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:14:52 +0000

This is a good example of what happens when a small, innovative company is acquired by a big entity interested in market dominance rather than quality product. When your goal is to “win” rather than to provide value to users (dare we even say, to society), evangelists like George are out the door, and numbers crunchers and sales people remain on board. Until the ship actually sinks, and which time the executives take the severance lifeboats and row off to scuttle some other company.

By: The Bat

The Bat — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:51:48 +0000

So… Winslow. If George Oates just happened to be in the same room with me right now, I’d offer her a good Honduran stogie. And a double shot of Macallan’s single malt scotch. Why chain smoke ciggies when a good double corona or churchill can last for a couple of hours?

Anyway, I have a feeling that someone with her talent and vision will still be forging ahead, innovating, and coming up with great ideas with or without Yahoo and with or without the idle tiresome fussing about other people’s personal habits.

By: DesignNotes by Michael Surtees » Blog Archive » Link Drop for the Week Ending in Friday the 19th (December 2008)

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:35:21 +0000

[...] Laying off George Jeffrey Zeldman wrote “George Oates is responsible for much of what is great about Flickr. George Oates is the last person a sane company would lay off. I don’t know what to think about Yahoo after reading how they laid off George Oates.” [...]

By: Jason Kratz

Jason Kratz — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:53:14 +0000

“I’d like to point out as well, what kind of idiot policy doesn’t allow any sort of succession plan?”

The same type of idiot policy that doesn’t allow a “succession plan” when an employee gets fired. No offense Jon but Yahoo has to worry about *their* property. I’m not saying that Oates would have done anything nasty but Yahoo (or any company laying off an employee) isn’t going to take a chance. That’s why people are escorted out of the building, etc. It’s not pretty but they have to do it.

And based on my experiences seeing executives being let go don’t be so sure a VP would have had a better send off. I’ve seen senior execs escorted out the door just like the bottom-feeders.

“We’re also talking about a public face of Yahoo/Flickr, one that is well respected (otherwise Zeldman would be unlikely to blog about) and well liked. You’d think they would use the good PR for something?”

Actually no I don’t. It should have been handled like any of the other 1000 employees who were probably important to the company. Layoffs suck no matter who they happen to. It isn’t good for anyone.

By: T.C.

T.C. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:02:58 +0000

Harsh, sad and unfair, and I’m sure George Oates is one very special guy at what he does, but nothing about the way he was laid off is anything special. This is the way it’s done, everywhere, every day, to thousands of people, regardless of their skill or value. It’s about the bottom line, and it suck, but that’s the reality of the corporate world. There’s nothing to be outraged about; if you work at a corporate organization, you basically sign up for being subject to this kind of treatment. Not blaming the victim here — I’m signed up too — just saying it’s, unfortunately, the way it works.

These are how layoffs are done. In the vast majority of cases, people are allowed enough time to collect their things, then escorted out of the building and cut off from all access.

I certainly feel for Oates, very much so, but his situation is nothing special. It’s a sign of the times.

By: Mike T.

Mike T. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:35:54 +0000

I myself got laid off a few weeks ago from Travelocity–5 minutes before I was heading out the door. As crappy as that was, it doesn’t come close to the robotic policies of Yahoo!

These times suck. My heart goes out to George and others.

By: Jon K.

Jon K. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:37:14 +0000

There may not be a good way to let someone go, but there is a humane way. I think we all know that dealing with 1000 layoffs, sure you have to have a bulk policy in place. I’m sure a VP might’ve garnered a better send off. Oh wait, none of them were laid off.

I’d like to point out as well, what kind of idiot policy doesn’t allow any sort of succession plan?

We’re also talking about a public face of Yahoo/Flickr, one that is well respected (otherwise Zeldman would be unlikely to blog about) and well liked. You’d think they would use the good PR for something?

By: Jason Kratz

Jason Kratz — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:58:02 +0000

Is there a good way to handle giving someone they news they’re getting laid off? I’ve seen almost every way under the sun described and *none* of them come off as sounding good. Firing someone sucks for both parties. There is no way to be nice about it. I’m actually surprised they didn’t cut off access completely before her manager made the call.

That being said very good people in the tech industry won’t have issues finding good work to do. I’m sure George will land on her feet doing great work elsewhere and I’m thankful for her work at Flickr.

By: Alan Bristow

Alan Bristow — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:49:06 +0000

Thanks Jeffrey for highlighting this.

George’s treatment was appalling and likely she was not the only one treated that way, and so to George and others, from someone who was once not treated well by ‘colleagues’ / ‘management’, sorry for your pain.

The take-away for me is that I remember my role and my satisfaction at a job well done and my actions, actions that my parents would have been proud of; those that do bad, unless conscience free, have their low behaviour to remember. Fitting.

Go George! _Certain_ you will do brilliantly, wherever you invest yourself.

By: Darrin

Darrin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:46:17 +0000

A good friend of mine was laid off from Yahoo SoCal last Wednesday, and my wife was laid off from a non-profit job last Thursday. I felt very insulated from the piss-poor economic conditions until these happened, now nothing surprises me.

While layoffs are a difficult thing, what might help is having it executed properly. In both the cases I’ve discussed, they were handled poorly, making the event more traumatic that it already was.

By: George « Clyde Street

George « Clyde Street — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:29:46 +0000

[...] moral hazard when I received Stephen Downes’ OLDaily with a link to Jefrey Zeldman’s post about Yahoo laying off George Oates. This is George’s post about Not quite what I had in [...]

By: anon

anon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:36:21 +0000

@live and let live
Actually, Hitler was a tweaker (methamphetamine delivered by IV daily). If you know your drugs, then, ah, it all makes so much sense.

@Winslow
I’m not too fond of cigarettes or second hand smoke either, but your response is even more disgusting.