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What happens after Yahoo acquires you

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Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#31

Post by petervandijck »

SandB0x wrote: post #6

I once witnessed the moment when the messenger from the new management team comes over to explain to the brilliant engineers who built the company up from nothing about these "timesheets" they need to fill in, and how it's "really not a big deal". You could feel something dying over the course of the conversation. It was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever seen, and I'm sure it's far worse if you are one o…

When you are being acquired, you could say: "We're worried about loosing our culture, which has brought us the success we've seen so far. I want to agree that our group will be allowed to set its own rules to some degree in terms of working environment." And give a few examples. No need to push it or make this legally binding, or even put it in writing.

Then, when the timesheet dude shows up (which they will), just say no. When the meetings are being called, say no. It'll be a shitstorm, and lots of people will dislike you for getting away with it, but you should get your way if this happens soon after the acquisition (when someone way up stands behind the acquisition and can't have it go bad this early.) Let the shitstorm happen, and stand tall. I don't think any company would fire founders of a company they acquired a month or two ago.

I don't know, anyone know of cases where it happened this way? Or is being a wholly owned sub really the only way to have a culture that's separate from the parent company?

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#32

Post by petervandijck »

pasbesoin wrote: post #25
zdw wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. For every requirement created by the management people, it must create a datapoint that can be measured in terms of business success, as that's what they're there to foster. Employee morale should be one of these, and an important one in terms of obtaining and retaining talent. Changes that don't improve the business should be removed. If management can't provide improvement, management should be removed. It's…

I've witnessed numerous efforts to "measure" "morale". Couched in positive language, they inevitably ended up being increasingly bad efforts to paper over failure to address underlying (or over-arching) issues. Here's a question: Why do you need timesheets? You didn't before. What's changed? If you can't -- legally -- avoid them, at least be honest about it. And don't let them become a tool for petty tyrants. (Oh, an…

Surely timesheets are never a legal requirement?

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#33

Post by rdouble »

petervandijck wrote: post #31
SandB0x wrote: post #6

I once witnessed the moment when the messenger from the new management team comes over to explain to the brilliant engineers who built the company up from nothing about these "timesheets" they need to fill in, and how it's "really not a big deal". You could feel something dying over the course of the conversation. It was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever seen, and I'm sure it's far worse if you are one o…

When you are being acquired, you could say: "We're worried about loosing our culture, which has brought us the success we've seen so far. I want to agree that our group will be allowed to set its own rules to some degree in terms of working environment." And give a few examples. No need to push it or make this legally binding, or even put it in writing. Then, when the timesheet dude shows up (which they will), just s…

I briefly worked at Winamp shortly after they were acquired by AOL.

They did this, but took it to another level and kind of tortured the incumbent manager assigned to supervise them. It was the only time in my career I have ever seen a grown man cry at work.

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#34

Post by fleaflicker »

kenjackson wrote: post #13

So why does Yahoo buy these properties? While I'm sure we'd all like to think the decision makers at Yahoo since day 1 were all idiots who like to spend millions of dollars on companies and then let them die, but is there actually a rational reason? Were they trying to keep them out of the hands of Google? Did they do it purely for the eyeballs and thought with no additional spending they'd get their money back out o…

A lot of these are a function of management changes.

One regime excitedly acquires a startup. Shortly after, the large company's CEO is canned. The new CEO cleans house and brings in a new management team with a different vision. Startup's product is no longer a priority.

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#36

Post by petervandijck »

rdouble wrote: post #33
petervandijck wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you are being acquired, you could say: "We're worried about loosing our culture, which has brought us the success we've seen so far. I want to agree that our group will be allowed to set its own rules to some degree in terms of working environment." And give a few examples. No need to push it or make this legally binding, or even put it in writing. Then, when the timesheet dude shows up (which they will), just s…

I briefly worked at Winamp shortly after they were acquired by AOL. They did this, but took it to another level and kind of tortured the incumbent manager assigned to supervise them. It was the only time in my career I have ever seen a grown man cry at work.

I don't think you have to be cruel about it, that's too bad.

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#37

Post by jmreardon »

petervandijck wrote: post #32
pasbesoin wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've witnessed numerous efforts to "measure" "morale". Couched in positive language, they inevitably ended up being increasingly bad efforts to paper over failure to address underlying (or over-arching) issues. Here's a question: Why do you need timesheets? You didn't before. What's changed? If you can't -- legally -- avoid them, at least be honest about it. And don't let them become a tool for petty tyrants. (Oh, an…

Surely timesheets are never a legal requirement?

While not quite a legal requirement, at the last company I worked for the timesheet was described as something like: If we don't give the government timesheets, they don't pay us our salaries.

The one before that said the timesheets were used to do reporting for R&D grants from the government.

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#38

Post by ChuckMcM »

gamble wrote: post #5

This article is mistitled. It should read 'What happens after anyone acquires you'. These anecdotes will sound familiar to many people who have been through an acquisition. Acquisitions are not something any company is naturally good at, and they inherently threaten the bureaucracy of the acquirer. Despite good intentions, the corporate immune system usually kills off the interloper before it becomes established. Not…

Perhaps 'anyone but Cisco'. There is a company that has more successfully than most integrated a number of companies into its structucture. Perhaps the most amazing (for me at least) is Linksys, which I predicted would result in an epic failure and yet their market share, and competitiveness has recovered after the post acquisition noise.

I'd love to hear a Cisco Exec's opinion on their secret.

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#39

Post by joshu »

When Delicious was acquired, we desperately needed inverted indexes, which yahoo (eventually, slowly, painfully) did actually provide.

I do find the "there's no business model" talk in the comments pretty annoying. Of course we had one.

Re: What happens after Yahoo acquires you

#40

Post by awakeasleep »

petervandijck wrote: post #36
rdouble wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I briefly worked at Winamp shortly after they were acquired by AOL. They did this, but took it to another level and kind of tortured the incumbent manager assigned to supervise them. It was the only time in my career I have ever seen a grown man cry at work.

I don't think you have to be cruel about it, that's too bad.

Not pretending to know what happened there, but keep in mind people will make themselves cry and scream at completely inanimate objects.
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