Thread regarding Open Text Corp. layoffs

@kb That's not how work place violence works. And yes, violent behaviors qualifies. As a SENIOR Leader, this behavior represents coersion because subordinates may not be in a position of feeling secure enough to speak out or speak up to him.

This has since been taken of - reported.

@jh You can eat an ice cold dog turn sammich.

@ka "Foul-mouthed? Fu-k you, man."

@jx Speak for your self. I started as a cam and now I'm a gear in the grand machine. Yaay. FML.

@ka If someone thinks it inappropriate, they can report it but no one has said it’s inappropriate. All we’ve heard here though was a moan about his language, which helps no one. Report it or say something to him, either could make a difference. Moaning here though.. does nothing.

@jh It's 2026. Employees DO NOT need to ask a leader in a global company to please not cuss and communicate inappropriately. Why isn't someone reporting this to ethics? Man oh man I would be documenting every interaction, every observation and reaching out to an attorney about the impact of this on my mental health.

@jh if I understand correctly, you are saying that MH, a leader, uses foul language and inappropriate communication behaviors when he engages with subordinate employees. It is your responsibility to document that and report it to ethics. Also, why does he have a cartoon image for his professional company photo?

@jx , I love my manager but I hate the manager above him. I am sure if the leaders start treating the underlings with respect and as human beings, instead of stepping stones to higher positions, there wouldn't be any attack on them.
You reap what you sow.

@j7 Looks like you know him very well to pass such comments. I am from LS’s (PMK) organization and trust me - you will change the definition of ‘humane’ when you start working on her team! Constantly breathing down your neck like a dragon, micromanagement 101 (asks for a report of stuff you’ll work on while she’s on vacation) and really interested in where you’re working from. It amazes me how all the leaders are sitting virtually & trying to micromanage those dragging their as--s to a stupid office.

Such a sh-t show!

@jy Point taken ! I haven’t been promoted in 4+ years despite asking for it & going above + beyond. No one literally cares just how much work is dumped on us due to the constant restructuring. Escalate and do what? Nothing changes here. It doesn’t matter how many ‘relationships’ you build or ‘stretch projects’ you take on..when layoffs come & you’re on a list - you go!

My 2 cents: Do the bare minimum and start looking if there’s no clear path here. I have seen Sr.Managers apply for Director roles & not selected despite their qualifications/experience. The poor leaders must bring in their friend from IBM.

@jx Bro, you aren't gonna stop the internet from doing internet-ing because you said "please". We are all cogs in the wheel but the really big cogs get paid a whole lot of money to be front and center. Don't take the job if you can't take the blame

Please refrain from directly attacking people. These are difficult times at OT and all the leaders are under tremendous pressure..irrespective of their personalities or quirks.

We also have our careers to manage - if your current situation is bad ..either accept it or change it. Ranting on a forum is certainly not going to help. Leave OT if/when you get a better opportunity because after all ..we’re all cogs in a wheel.

I realize I’m opening up myself to attack here but it upsets me to see all these cyber-warriors feeling it’s ok to attack individuals and hide behind anonymous identities. These are humans with feelings. Whatever your professional opinions are, you should keep them professional, and think about the impact you are having on others. The behavior here is nothing short of bullying.

I report directly to Steve Wagstaff. It is true he doesn’t hold a lot of team meetings but he has been very open about that and explained his style is to get people together when he has things to share and not bother people with meetings for the sake of meetings. I personally appreciate that. My team were keen to hear from Steve and ask him questions, so we invited him to our team call and there was zero hesitation from him to accept and engage in a fantastic conversation. If those here feel they aren’t getting the chance to hear from Steve then I ask you, have you reached out to him or asked him to join a call? There needs to be accountability on both sides and taking a proactive approach and reaching out to him will serve you far better than ranting here.

I do not disagree that Marketing is oddly distributed right now but each of us can reach across the aisle, build relationships, and build a value chain that means the organizational structure matters far less. Be a part of the solution, don’t just anonymously rant about the problem.

As for Marcus; I have never reported to him but do work alongside him and have always found him to be a good guy. Does he swear a lot? Sure! I don’t think he’d say otherwise, but I am sure if someone said it offended them then he’d try hard to not do so in their presence - has anyone here spoken up? I doubt it. If it really bothers you why he was a CMO before and is a VP now, why don’t you ask him? Things like prioritizing family and seeking a better work/life balance shouldn’t be reasons to attack the guy. Very few will understand the pressures some leaders are under and how many of their actions are intended to help or shield the team, try putting yourself in their shoes and offer constructive ideas before you attack.

As a leader, it pains me to hear people so unhappy and talking about “planning an exit unless nothing changes for us”. It pains me more though that people feel a sense of entitlement and want to just sit back and hope for change - speak up, via the right channels, take ownership and help drive that change. If just half of the people commenting on this forum adopted that approach, everyone could reap the rewards.

Please, however you are feeling, be respectful. These are real people with real feelings. How would you feel if someone was bullying you, or your spouse, or your child? Forums like these have a role but that role should never be a place to show malice towards your fellow coworkers and humans.

@hn across the board in Oct/Nov ..there are murmurs

@hn No, the Oct and Nov waves are not specific to an org. Some are part of GTM changes but didn't happen in July because of work councila.

@ha layoffs for marketing or everyone ?

@ha This is an excellent and accurate perspective! Thank you for writing such a detailed post.

As if there wasn't so much waste coming out of marketing. How much did we waste on Aviator bobbleheads, plushies, the animations. How much waste on things like branded drum sticks? Marketing should be focused on marketing to companies in a technological way, not wasting money on useless gimmicks.

Such an accurate post OP. Here to confirm the following: 1. SW was moved by MB from running presales to an undefined semi-marketing role as a place to shove him until he could be managed out. MB did not want to keep SW. That is why initially SW had a small team as part of the move and no real direction. However, once MB was fired, and JM became the interim CEO, he jumped in to save SW. JM and SW are great buddies. 2. During the JM brief tenure, TC, lording over sales, used this period of time to try to bring in more of his people before the replacement CEO was hired. This is essentially how KM was hired. She came out of nowhere. There were top marketing leaders interviewing with senior leaders for a benign marketing role and then suddenly TC pushed to have KM hired. There literally was no true open position for KM yet TC had marketing reworked yet again to position her. 3. Next, AA becomes the permanent CEO. JM was to leave but his bestie TJ running the BOD, got him slid into his current fake role (for a date he needs to reach for vested cash). AA does not see value in TC, MM, SW, SL. They will be managed out over the course of org changes which have started. AA moved WW salesops out from TC and under JS who was promoted, and more big shifts are coming to repackage and realign function currently under TC including enablement. That's moving under JS. TC will be the first of the current ELT to go possibly before F28 but definitely will not be part of F28 plans. 4. Marketing itself will be completely different for FY28 with the majority of marketing services run externally. Marketing employees should all be looking for new jobs. 5. Round of WFRs in Oct and Nov - nothing crazy, small enough to slip under analyst radar.

@aj You’re correct! But the way our attribution is currently setup - it’s not tracking each and every marketing touch that’s used to capture a deal. So, someone might have seen an ad & clicked ..but ultimately converted through something random like an event. So, who gets the credit? With a last touch attribution model we have at OT - the event. Not the initial ad or any of the other multiple touches that may have taken place prior to the event.

Also, you’re not going to see instant revenue in any marketing tactic. Unfortunately, the way we’re setup & operate - it’s pipeline at best that we can influence!

A marketing strategy of flying pigs and tombstones is probably the most accurate direction for the company to take at this point.

@a4 I might not be understanding what you're saying but Marketing should be tied to revenue. Revenue is how everyone, bottom to the top, pays their bills. We can't pay our bills with "pipeline"

Buddy it ain't just marketing that's in trouble

@OP - Oh and all the surveys are a waste of time. They will only act on stuff nobody gives a damn about. Even if someone does look at the org chart - what’ll they find? At best, shuffle people around like one of those chess pieces.

I hope someone higher up reads these posts because Marketing is doomed.

I am in Marketing and quiet quitting/burning out since the past year. Our team has kept shrinking and we’re overworked with no promotion in sight. It’s such a flop show here & SW has been like a ghost. Who is he? Any why should we care what his view of marketing is? Because TBH he has none. The leaders under him know nothing either.

Everything is now tied to revenue ..doesn’t work that way you know?! There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that makes it happens. Also, our MyCPD goals are another joke!

The market is brutal & I am only here because I have bills to pay. Had a few interviews here & there but no movement. I am so done! I have gratitude & all that because my bills are paid due to this job. But I am exhausted :((

We need another MLT clean-up like last December because what we have now is a bigger mess than the last one.