This blog (Phyl’s Journey) started 5 years ago with my getting my exciting new job with IBM. The job was a dream job for the first 3 years… 3 years almost exactly. I haven’t blogged much in the past two years. I supposed because it is difficult to share news, when it is not happy.
IBM’s TRIRIGA CoC
Our team, the Center of Competence (CoC) for TRIRIGA (a Facilities Management software), was really working well together. Our boss, Rusty Deane, was a great manager. He had our backs. He funnelled the work to us. And, he insulated us from the corporate BS. We all loved working together and we really were effective in helping our clients.
Then the CEO of IBM blew up our team. It was totally a political move, to make a statement. IBM was going to focus their best and brightest (CoC members) here in the US to fix the problems that resulting in a poor first quarter… 219 people were uprooted from their departments and thrown into the fray. Trouble is, our team WAS working. And inside of the US, we didn’t have any workload. So after the move, there was not enough workload to keep us going, and most left IBM or were laid off.
Our crippled next phase
Logan and myself stayed on the same team, but out leader was gone. Over the next year we were bounced around to 6 different managers, none of whom were as effective as Rusty, and in some cases actively working to get us out.
In January this year I was rolled off the project I was assigned to. On the team we were on, we are supposed to be available for anyone in the world who needs our help. Therefore, we are not supposed to be dedicated indefinitely to any given project, so the roll off was natural. In the standard IBM culture employees are treated like consultants, which means you have to go out and find your own workload. Well, I didn’t have the relationships to do that, and the software I support (TRIRIGA) has been shifting to being supported by the Indian team who are about 1/10th the cost. So no work anywhere.
A PIP and Coronavirus
In March, I was put on a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) because my utilization was not up to the 75% goal established by the company. I continued to look for work, and continued to hit dead ends. And then COVID-19 hit, and clients were not expanding their TRIRIGA programs. Many more of the practitioners were released from their projects. I was told repeatedly that they would be bringing back others instead of contracting me.
Corona virus actually caused IBM to freeze the PIP process. The deadline to get billable work was extended an additional 2.5 months. But still no projects were staffing up.
A number of projects were born out of Coronavirus as IBM scrambled to repurpose various software programs. In my case that means TRIRIGA and Maximo. The project I worked on helped companies get “back to work. The software will track social distancing, mask wearing compliance, temperature tracking, etc. I was assigned to a few of these projects, but as these were not billable projects, they didn’t qualify to satisfy the PIP.
No big surprise.. The result was layoff.
ANYHOW, In the end I was laid off at the end of June. This process was so long and arduous. By the time it came around we were more than ready to have IBM out of our life.
The first three years at IBM were fantastic, the last two were horrendous. As you know the travel was a main attraction to me for this job. However the travel really ceased in May 2019. I will remember the first three years fondly! But I will not miss working at IBM. Instead we are very excited, maybe a little anxious, about what is to come.. Not sure what it will look like in the end, you will have to watch this space…. But at this moment I’m hoping it is not going to be a full time professional 8-5 job. I’m looking forward to alternate options.
I’m sure will find fascinating and unexpected opportunities ahead. All the best to you in this transition time!!!
Thanks Gordon, we were hoping to come back to the Oregon coast this summer, but Coronavirus spoiled those plans.
Sorry to hear that it did not all work out, but I’m excited to see what doors and windows you kick down next! Wishing you all the best!
Hi Phyllis, very sorry to see this happened to you. I got to know this when the next week after you left Mehdi asked if I knew anyone who knows BIRT and I could not find you in the system!!
I used to be in CoC too in 2014 and exactly the same thing happened to me- move from WW to US and then laid off from US. But at that time TRIRIGA was at its peak so I got internally hired in Software Group. But yea you’re right not many TRIRIGA projects in the US now!
Anyways, wishing you good luck for your next adventure.
Thanks Sumit.. I appreciate my colleagues and your struggles so much. I’m so happy right now, each day, when I wake up and think I can do ANYTHING I want today ;-).. But let’s stay in touch.
Our team was highly efficient and cohesive, but internal politics led to its dismantling. The sudden shift by IBM caused significant disruption, leaving many without meaningful work. Despite our expertise, the focus on cost-cutting overshadowed the value we brought. The lack of support and constant managerial changes only worsened the situation. Why did IBM prioritize short-term fixes over the long-term success of a proven team?
The CoC team for TRIRIGA was highly effective until the CEO of IBM dismantled it for political reasons. Rusty Deane was a great manager who shielded the team from corporate chaos and ensured smooth operations. After the restructuring, many team members left or were laid off due to insufficient workload. The remaining members, including Logan and myself, were shuffled between managers, none of whom matched Rusty’s effectiveness. Why did the company prioritize politics over the success of a well-functioning team?
It’s disheartening to hear how a once-effective team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like an exceptional leader who truly understood how to shield his team and foster productivity. The decision to disband such a cohesive group seems short-sighted, especially when the new direction left many without meaningful work. It’s frustrating how companies often prioritize cost-cutting over the well-being and expertise of their employees. The shift to outsourcing and the lack of support in finding new assignments must have been incredibly demoralizing. It’s ironic how IBM’s internal culture promotes self-reliance but fails to provide the necessary resources to succeed. Do you think there’s still a chance for the remaining team members to find stability and purpose within IBM, or has the damage been irreversible?
Comment: It’s really disheartening to hear how a well-functioning team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like an exceptional leader who truly understood how to support his team. It’s frustrating that IBM’s decision to focus on the US didn’t consider the actual workload or the effectiveness of the existing team. The constant manager changes must have been incredibly destabilizing, especially without someone like Rusty to guide you. The shift to relying on the Indian team for cost efficiency seems short-sighted, especially if it leaves experienced employees without meaningful work. Being put on a PIP during such a turbulent time, compounded by the pandemic, must have been incredibly stressful. Do you think IBM could have handled this situation differently to retain talent and maintain team morale?
It’s really disheartening to read about how a well-functioning team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like a fantastic leader who truly understood how to support his team and keep them motivated. It’s frustrating to see how decisions made at the top can have such a negative impact on employees who were actually delivering results. The constant manager changes and lack of workload must have been incredibly demoralizing. It’s also concerning how the shift to cheaper labor overseas left so many skilled workers without opportunities. Do you think there’s a way for companies to balance cost-cutting measures without sacrificing the well-being and effectiveness of their employees? It feels like there’s a lot of untapped potential here that’s being wasted.
It’s really disheartening to hear how a well-functioning team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like a fantastic leader who truly supported his team, and it’s unfortunate that his leadership was lost in the shuffle. The decision to uproot 219 people without a clear plan seems shortsighted and damaging, especially when the team was already effective. It’s frustrating to see how the lack of workload and shifting support to cheaper labor led to such a decline in morale and opportunities. The PIP situation feels like adding insult to injury, especially during such uncertain times like COVID-19. Do you think there was a better way for IBM to handle this transition without losing so much talent and expertise?
It’s really disheartening to hear how a well-functioning team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like a rare gem of a manager who truly supported his team. It’s frustrating that IBM’s decision to focus on the US didn’t consider the actual workload or the effectiveness of the CoC team. The constant manager changes and lack of support must have been incredibly demoralizing. It’s also concerning how the shift to cheaper labor in India left skilled employees like you without opportunities. Do you think IBM’s approach to treating employees as consultants contributed to the lack of stability and support? It feels like a systemic issue that prioritizes cost-cutting over employee well-being and team cohesion.
Your story really highlights the challenges of corporate restructuring and the impact it can have on dedicated teams. It’s frustrating to see how a well-functioning team was dismantled for what seems like political reasons rather than practical ones. Rusty Deane sounds like a great leader, and it’s a shame that his absence left such a void. The constant manager changes and lack of workload must have been incredibly demoralizing. It’s also concerning how the shift to lower-cost teams overseas affected your role. Do you think there was a better way for IBM to handle this transition without losing valuable talent? It’s a tough situation, and I’m curious how you’re navigating it now.
**Background:**
Our team, the Center of Competence (CoC) for TRIRIGA (a Facilities Management software), was functioning effectively. Rusty Deane, our boss, was a great manager who protected us from corporate politics, managed work flow, and was loyal to our team. We all enjoyed working together and were effective in assisting our clients.
**Change:**
The CEO of IBM made a political decision to reorganize the company, leading to a significant shake-up within the organization. He relocated 219 employees from various departments, including our team, to address the first-quarter difficulties. The aim was to bring the best and brightest talent (CoC members) to the US and concentrate on rectifying operational issues.
**Consequences:**
This maneuver was flawed because our team was already efficient, and inside the United States, there wasn’t enough workload to sustain us. As a result, most staff members either left IBM or were fired. Logan and I remained in the same company, but our leader was removed. Over the next year, we were shuffled between 6 different managers, none of whom could match Rusty’s effectiveness. Some managers even attempted to eliminate us.
**Corporation Management:**
IBM operates on a culture where employees are treated as consultants, requiring them to find their own workloads. This was particularly challenging for me because I lacked the necessary connections to secure assignments. Furthermore, the software I specialized in (TRIRIGA) has increasingly been supported by Indian groups, who are approximately one-tenth the expense of American personnel. As a result, there was no available work in any location.
**Performance and PIP:**
In March, I was placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) due to my utilization falling below the 75% goal mandated by the company. I continued to seek employment but consistently encountered obstacles. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, causing clients to halt their TRIRIGA program expansion. Consequently, many more professionals were relieved of their positions.
**Outcome:**
The chaos within IBM resulted in a disorganized management structure, leading to heightened stress and discord among employees. The bold reorganization of the CEO led to the demise of the CoC, thereby diminishing the efficiency of the company. Team members were without direction, and the organization operated inefficiently as a result.
It’s really disheartening to hear how such a well-functioning team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like an exceptional leader, and it’s unfortunate that his absence led to such instability. The decision to shift focus to the US without a clear workload seems shortsighted and poorly planned. It’s frustrating to see talented individuals like you and Logan being bounced around without proper support or direction. The shift to cheaper labor in India is a harsh reality, but it’s disappointing that IBM didn’t find a way to retain its experienced employees. How do you think IBM could have handled this transition better to avoid losing so much talent? It feels like there’s a lot of untapped potential here that was wasted.
It’s disheartening to read about how a well-functioning team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane sounds like a rare gem of a manager who truly supported his team. It’s frustrating to see how decisions made at the top can have such a devastating impact on employees who were actually delivering results. The constant shuffling between managers and the lack of workload must have been incredibly demoralizing. It’s also concerning how the shift to cheaper labor overseas left so many skilled professionals without opportunities. Do you think there’s a way to rebuild that sense of teamwork and effectiveness in such a corporate environment? It feels like the system failed you and your colleagues, and I wonder if there’s any hope for change in such a structure.
It’s disheartening to hear how a once-effective team was dismantled due to corporate politics. Rusty Deane seems like a manager who truly understood and supported his team, which makes the situation even more frustrating. The decision to uproot 219 people without a clear plan or workload feels incredibly short-sighted. The shift to cheaper labor in India, while understandable from a cost perspective, seems to have left talented employees like you in a difficult position. A PIP during such uncertain times feels more like a formality than a genuine effort to help. What steps do you think IBM could have taken to better support employees during this transition?
Your story highlights the struggles of corporate restructuring and its impact on dedicated teams. It’s frustrating to see a well-functioning team dismantled for what seems like purely political reasons. Rusty Deane sounds like an exceptional leader, and it’s unfortunate that his absence left such a void. The constant managerial changes must have been incredibly destabilizing for you and Logan. It’s also disheartening to see how the shift to lower-cost support teams affected your workload and opportunities. Do you think IBM could have handled this transition better, or was it destined to harm the morale and effectiveness of employees like you? It feels like a missed opportunity to retain valuable talent.
Your team’s story is both inspiring and heartbreaking. It’s clear that your CoC was a well-oiled machine, and Rusty seems like the kind of leader everyone dreams of working with. The decision to dismantle such a successful team feels shortsighted and politically driven, especially when IBM ended up with insufficient workload post-move. It’s frustrating to see how bureaucracy and cost-cutting measures can disrupt effective teams and individuals’ careers. The constant manager changes and the PIP situation must have been incredibly stressful, especially during an already uncertain time like COVID-19. Do you think IBM could have handled this differently to retain talent and maintain productivity? It’s a shame that such a strong team was lost in the shuffle—what steps do you think companies should take to avoid this kind of fallout in the future?