Further to our story earlier in the week about the sudden disappearance of?? VP of Sales at LN in Canada, Gary Martin. Sources now tell us that the rot is setting in.
The email below sent out by Pat Collins the CEO for LN in Canada provides? further evidence of the disarray resulting from Judy Vezmar’s? decision to axe “virtually the entire executive of the Canadian operation a year ago”.
Our source also says that not mentioned in this message are the continuing dismissals of staff in the Canadian regional offices as well as the advertising sales manager who was recently called at home one evening and told not to come in the next day because she was terminated.
Town Hall meetings, would to us at HOB,? be code for saying.. i’m going to have to say even nastier things than in this email in October so be prepared.
And does she really believe what she’s writing in her final paragraph. In the last few months we’ve spoken with disgruntled Australian LN employees, an ex LN Asia Pacific middle manager who’s gone off to start their own publishing company and an author who’s recently worked out how rapacious LN ( in Asia) are.. i don’t hear any of them saying the LN’s core values are…Valuing Our People and that the company behave in an ethical and principled manner.
Collins writes to LN Canadian staff..
Dear Colleagues,
I am planning to conduct a series of town hall meetings later in October, but I wanted to deliver a couple of thoughts before I see you then. I will begin with the obvious: this has been a challenging year for all of us, regardless of what department we are in. We have all felt the stress of change and I know it weighs heavily on many of you. This amount of change in our organization is unprecedented, and embarking on it during a very turbulent economy has undoubtedly exacerbated the anxieties we are all feeling.
I am writing to you to ask for your continued patience and forbearance as I very much believe we are on the right track. Do we have it all right? No, but I believe all of the dramatic change is behind us and the actions going forward will be refinements, not wholesale changes. In every department I believe we are building the foundation for growth and renewal. While it can feel distressing for many as we experience this reorganization and consolidation first-hand, it is in the best long-term interests of the organization. None of this is easy. Please continue to find ways to work together during this time and resist the temptation to assign blame for things that have gone not quite as planned. That is an indulgence we can?t afford.
I need to point out that Gary Martin?s departure does not signal a change in strategic direction for our organization. We will continue to refine and invest in our Sales Department, and our course remains largely unchanged.
Finally, our adherence to our core values remains stronger than ever. With respect to valuing our people, it is important to remind everyone of the bedrock value we call ?Valuing Our People.? We put the highest priority on recruiting, developing and retaining outstanding people. Our managers are directly responsible for the development of their people. We recognize and reward achievement. We enjoy what we do and we celebrate success. We empower our people to maximize their potential and contribution. We respect our people and believe in open and honest communication. We behave in an ethical and principled manner.
Yours sincerely,
Pat Collins
Chief Executive Officer
