Thread regarding IBM layoffs

IBM stock down 18% YTD year to date. Morale as low as a lowly slug. IBM has been "The Walking Dead" fo decades now with it's most polished "product" being RA's (lets get real an call them what they are, "forced layoffs due to amateur "executives" knowing nothing about technology or customers) ruining thousands of lives every year.

IBM still clings to the false God that Lou Gerstner was and the forever damage he did to IBM getting far too much credit for "saving it" while walking away with a $400,000,000+++ golden parachute including 20 years of using IBM corp jets. See below his arrogance about demanding a booze drink on the corp jet after IBM had STRICT rules about no alcohol at IBM for 80 years as founder and 42 year CEO Thomas J Watson Sr had seen the vile effects of alcohol in many including his son Di-k who had a terrible time with it.

It was and is this corporate executive arrogance that ruined IBM into an evil and gluttonous place. See his comments below about IBM and it's people being "fat, lazy, and complacent" when it was LOU who was that and more. I was there for a decade before The G Man and 7 after and before IBM in many ways was like heaven and after he-l.

Lou Gerstner's arrogance:

Lou Gerstner, who served as CEO of IBM from 1993 to 2002, was known for his blunt, no-nonsense, and often abrupt management style, which some perceived as rude or intimidating.

Examples of his behavior and leadership style include:

Interrupting Presentations: Gerstner was known for cutting off executives during meetings if he felt they were wasting time. During his first state-of-the-company meeting, he stopped an executive after only two slides, shut down the projector, and told the leader, "Let's just talk about your business".

Abolishing Long-Standing Rules: He would abruptly end long-standing, traditional company rules without much consultation, such as immediately allowing alcohol on IBM corporate jets (breaking a 80-year tradition) because he decided the rule was ridiculous.

Brutal Candor/Dismissing Hierarchy: Gerstner frequently expressed disdain for bureaucracy, telling staff that "Hierarchy means very little to me" and that he "hates, hates, hates to lose," which fostered a blunt, high-pressure environment.

Abrupt Communication: He often used harsh or abrupt language to drive home points, making staff feel nervous about presenting polished material, which he often viewed as a distraction from the reality of the business.

Publicly Declaring Internal Failure: In his efforts to overhaul the company culture, he was not shy about tearing down previous IBM traditions, frequently telling employees that their past ways of working were "fat, lazy, and complacent".

Layoffs were alluded to during the 4Q Earnings call on January 28, 2026, the company indicated there would be layoffs in 2026 at levels similar to 2025. The words they used were:

“For operating pretax margin, we expect about 100 basis points of expansion with workforce rebalancing fairly CONSISTENT WITH THE PRIOR YEAR."

Translation: Layoffs in 2026 will be similar to 2025 levels. And “Workforce rebalancing charges” means restructuring costs tied to headcount actions = severance, role eliminations, org redesign etc.