Thread regarding IBM layoffs

Wanting to summarize the diplomatic words of NTPH, lickers and thieves go up faster, so it is easy to select who should go away, that is, who are no longer able to implement their method, because the true leadership was of those from whom it was stolen. Rewarding merit is called meritocracy. Hunger - in terms of concrete awards and prizes - and being fed up with intrigues and palace thefts by a handful of courtesans and courtiers, led to the guillotine of Marie Antoinette in France. But hopefully also in Ginny's Versaille. We'll see if Mr AK understands it or becomes the next Louis XVI. GL

It is impossible to generalize to Band in IBM. Some people advance in Band simply because they know how to talk up to executives. IBM promotes in two ways basically those that work hard who move up slowly and those who talk up moving quickly. Usually the quick talker uppers get promoted until they reach a level of incompetence then they stop advancing. There are going to be Band 10 that work extremely hard. There are Band 10s who got there because they knew how to talk up to executives and take credit for others people work. There are FLMs that work hard for their people and take a lot of hits. There are FLMs who are just looking for the next promotion and are worthless. Basically the Band 10s and FLMs that work hard flat line as IBM can't afford to promote them higher because then who would do the work if they are busy being executives. If someone is moving up fast you can bet they just take credit from others and talk up. It really isn't that hard.

I know a band 10 personally who was awesome :-) They went out with the March 2020 layoffs per plan. Agree that there are many productive b9s and 10s and that FLM are almost all heroes for what they put up with with little real support or personal mentoring. I got one dedicated manager training in 20 years as a manager. I guess they thought they taught me everything they knew in that one shot - or I could watch a video talking head to get inspired/educated. Fortunately, I didn’t come in cold. Previous Si Valley and visionary local companies had provided awesome training.
The problem I saw is VPs and GMs who don’t know how to run the highly technical businesses they own - and don’t know how to find and then trust smarter people to do the heavy lifting on direction and Operations. IBM tends to run responsible people off. Leadership supplements with s— up to up line VPs and then allows or generates constant drill downs for information and what-ifs. The organization churns away its leadership productivity either zig-zagging direction or educating and providing cover for execs - instead of running today’s business and/or planning tomorrow’s growth. IBM has (at least had) all the skills necessary for success. They’re just tied up educating/feeding the MBA’s in NY.

I know a band 10 personally who was awesome :-) They went out with the March 2020 layoffs per plan. Agree that there are many productive b9s and 10s and that FLM are almost all heroes for what they put up with with little real support or personal mentoring. I got one dedicated manager training in 20 years as a manager. I guess they thought they taught me everything they knew in that one shot - or I could watch a video talking head to get inspired/educated. Fortunately, I didn’t come in cold. Previous Si Valley and visionary local companies had provided awesome training.
The problem I saw is VPs and GMs who don’t know how to run the highly technical businesses they own - and don’t know how to find and then trust smarter people to do the heavy lifting on direction and Operations. IBM tends to run responsible people off. Leadership supplements with s— up to up line VPs and then allows or generates constant drill downs for information and what-ifs. The organization churns away its leadership productivity either zig-zagging direction or educating and providing cover for execs - instead of running today’s business and/or planning tomorrow’s growth. IBM has (at least had) all the skills necessary for success. They’re just tied up educating/feeding the MBA’s in NY.

@AMA band 10 guy - how to get to band 10? How long do you need to be in band 9 to be considered? is band 10 FLM, BUE or some other non sales jobs.. same comp structure for band 10 and D? Just quota or is there bonus/profit sharing/equity shares?

• "almost 10 years ago making $130k base... I walked into a $200k position."...

Clearly sales makes more than techies...

Unfortunately, most of us techies don't have the constitution to be in sales.

I was a band 9 almost 10 years ago making $130k base, and told I was at the top of the band. So it's realistic for some overlap between upper band 9 and lower band 10. I quit because I felt I was worth more, and management didn't agree - which was their right. I walked into a $200k position. I don't hold a grudge - IBM was good to me, until they started clipping my wings by giving me insane quota increases - +70% two years in a row. I believe they wanted me out because they were paying me too much, and thought someone younger, and cheaper could do my job. By all accounts, they were wrong, but management (who are still there to this day) would never admit it.

I'm a Band 10 in Sales AMA

I am sure band 10s are making way more than 100K unlike a previous comment suggested. More like in 200K range. 100K is like a starting salary.

SVP of Diversity for a company that has more than half of their employees in India and enforces staffing out of India over opening hiring tickets for locals? That’s rich.

@1sst+18BjsADa

While your did a great job generalizing, not everyone falls under your system

In my mid 30s, I was band 6.
When I left I was in my late 30s at band 7. My title was an engineer, but I didn’t code. I made over 6 figures. They kept me around because clients liked me more that their support staff

I got to band 9. They wanted me to groom me to be a band 10 first line manager. I declined and stayed at band 9 until I decided to leave of my own accord - made good money without the stress that came with the FLM position. Most first line managers were cannon fodder, and didn't last long. Those that did survive had some form of protection, and have slowly climbed the ranks, and similarly groomed their favorites to follow them.

"SVP OF DIVERSITY"!
U have gotta be joking right?! People actually pay these diversity chumps money?!

IBM is the biggest virtue signaler I’ve seen. It’s ridiculous. It’s like they can’t get top talent so they play the inclusive card and give out sympathy hires.

"SVP OF DIVERSITY"!

U have gotta be joking right?! People actually pay these diversity chumps money?!

@1uwh+18BjsADa

Band B and C VP
Band A GM
Band AA SVP and CEO

• Usually. The new SVP of Diversity is an A

Is Band B a VP or GM? I always got confused because one of those levels (VP or GM) has two actual bands in it. And Band AA is an SVP? Is there a Band AAA also? Assume that's AK and some of his directs? The organizational complexity is astounding.

I knew a band 10 who made 100,000 dollars a year fixing up charts for meeting after meeting . What a waste , customers don't give a chit about these high paid folks . They want quality products that work with outstanding customer support . You won't get that from a chart maker and management that has no idea what is going on. clean house !

Band 4 & 5's are the Secretaries and Administrative staff - They need to be very good at Calendaring!
Band 6 & 7's are kids who are barely out of their parents basement, yet think they can 'change IBM' (Youth is foolish as the saying goes!)
Band's 8 & 9's are the most under appreciated, over worked employees of them all.
Band 10's are mostly the 'Peter Principle' folks - good connections within the executive ranks - mostly jack of all trades, specialists in none.
Band D's - The ones who made it over the Border - The head the size of water mellons filled with hope for a Band C, while disdain for 'staff people'
Band C's - Most useless cadre of all - heavily paid, with no new ideas but very good a– licking skills
Band B's - Officially in the 1%

Most b10s are working as project managers preparing presentations for vps because first and second lines cant do sh– as they're completely non- technical.

So it's not completely their fault because ibm has created this bloat with useless people managers whcih made these b10s project managers, see it's all just managers!!

Most work is done by b6-8 with minimum pay in tech industry.

a lot of them have written no code in years and are completely oblivious to products in modern marketplace which means they cant guide their teams to build any product successfully and there's no one to question them as such.

If b10s were successfully building anything wouldn't ibm have competing products in modern marketplace? (cloud, ai etc.) Why does ibm need to buy so many companies AND also spend on internal teams building same products?

This opinion is likely not going to be popular amongst higher ranks but IBM should do the complete reviews on existing banding allotment. Many higher ranks might have got to their current band level by using what may be now obsolete technologies and old skills... Yes, they may have worked hard to achieve it, but many old strategies don't work in today's fast changing landscape. The new band level allotment needs to integrate with data driven decisions and not managements personal preferences. IBM's managements have a tendency to surround themselves by folks with similar opinions and they seem so uncomfortable when new or unfamiliar ideas are introduced.

"When looking at the people that get STSM appointments, I wonder how they even made it."

Well, nobody wants to become Band 10 STSM anymore... it is a dead end... and a sure way to get laid off very soon.

It’s a widely held opinion. It’s also wildly obvious band 10s are the easy target. See it in every layoff.

I have yet to meet a band 10 STSM that actually pulls their weight. And I know several. When looking at the people that get STSM appointments, I wonder how they even made it. It seems rigged/who-you-know appointment.

Band 10 is essentially Death Row at IBM... definitely not the place you want to hang out too long...