| 03.27.2001 | ||
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We have processes that are inappropriate, unproven, and cumbersome. Our service offerings are based on imaginary intellectual property. Our organizational structure was never thought through before it was implemented, at the expense of the structure that worked before. The people who made this company successful over the years, and have shown exceptional commitment through many market changes, a.k.a., "the ones who are committed to getting better" are leaving every day because all the effort you expend doesn't matter when no one listens. It's really sad to see what has become of a once-great company, due to poor direction and mismanagement and lack of communication. Maybe all the people who are leaving are tired of cleaning up the messes created by the whims of the new regime. In any case, I guess the confusion will just facilitate our merger with Razorfish, when the next round of layoffs will come. The good news is, if we have any partners or customers who require ping pong skills, we might just have a chance. |
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| 03.27.2001 | ||
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It upsets me that I am so negative these days. Fact is, we (Lante) are doing work that (in my opinion) is a long way away for the award winner work Lante used to do. I believe at some point Lante will want to run in the right direction. My fear is that it will be too late. Producing quality work is not a trivial thing. And often, it requires workers to extend themselves, that means working outside the 9-5 workday. How many people (who are left) will have that kind of work ethic? How many managers will be able to inspire their staff to do that work? Devising a good Lante-work plan after all your SuperStars have left does little good. What happens then? People aren't leaving for money. Right now, people aren't growing. They don't feel like part of a team/family. People don't even socialize anymore. The culture here went *Bust* a long time ago. I don't feel the heart/passion/desire that made me feel proud to be at Lante. |
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| 03.27.2001 | ||
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Unfortunately, none of my peers went to "How to not be a Jack-Ass" training. Some didn't even go to "How should I dress myself?" or "How to not be creepy" training. I think everyone showed up for the 6 week "Kissing Ass Opens Doors" series. And no one missed the 1 day self-help lecture, "Being Comfortable With Being a F#ck-n#t." | |
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| 03.27.2001 | ||
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I think this a "horse before the cart question." It's like trying to figure out what you're going to do "When we get $$RICH$$." Our company is too small to really do anything other then niche solutions. We're trying to do work all over the map and it's really not working. Far too many of the people left working here don't know/haven't seen a solid working solution. Requirement and project goals are not clearly defined because people haven't worked with the countless, random products that we now support. Managers don't know what work to ask for and workers don't know what to deliver. People aren't learning how to deliver quality work.... and consequently don't. Most project time is spent trying to deliver barley functioning systems/solutions due to the massive ever-present learning curve. There is no focus on excellence. And people haven't learned the basics of project delivery. We have technologist who don't know the technology we're using. We have project managers who've never been to training. It won't matter how we sell business if there's no one around who can do quality work. |
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| 03.27.2001 | ||
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Are we (or should we) be headed back towards providing niche services and many small projects instead of a few large ones? Is Aon really the exception rather than the rule? | |
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| 03.12.2001 | ||
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"We are trying to close a deal with a prospect that is interested in implementing Netegrity. They are interested in knowing, specifically: 1) How many people have implemented Netegrity at Lante 2) How long have these people been implementing Netegrity? 3) How many employees have Netegrity background? 4) How many customers have used delegated authority within the product? If you have used Netegrity, please respond with a brief description of your experience." Hey! I have a crazy idea! Why don't we focus on selling the skills we actually have? Why would it just come up at the close of the deal whether or not we have any experience in that area? I think I need to harness these skills (and the Internet) for my job interviews: "Yes, you should hire me to be your pilot. All the paperwork is signed. What do you mean I need to know how to fly?" |
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| 02.22.2001 | ||
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"Harnessing the power of the Internet!" Boy Howdy, that's awesome. Are we harnessing the power of the whole thing? Can we really be trusted with that much power? The Internet is pretty friggin' big. I hear they run the World Wide Web on that thing. Maybe we should harness the power of something smaller like the power of decaf coffee. Either way, I'm going to need to think about this before I become comfortable with it. I very easily get drunk with global power. I have been known to harness the power of beer and fried foods.... If that helps? |
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| 02.08.2001 | ||
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While Lante is continuing to downsize, looking to keep expenses low and the bottom line looking good; a new focus area has been created "Lante's Learning Center" focused on Delivery Management training. Not only are billable employees tasked to create "training" materials, and help deliver the training sessions, but mulitple 'give-aways' were distributed. These items are 'cool' technology gadgets branded with Lante's Learning Center information. Why is Lante spending money on things like this when we are losing Lante's competent population as if the plague has once again struck? Weren't they trying to keep expenses low? Clearly buying things for internal non-sense like these "Lante Learning Center" giveaways, are clearly made possible by all our deceased, oops I meant, dumped, oops I mean, former, coworkers. Thank you to all who were terminated that we can have these fun toys and meaningful training sessions! |
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| 01.31.2001 | ||
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What's Next at Lante? I'd be willing to bet that Austin, Boston, or LA are next to go!!! |
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| 01.30.2001 | ||
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Recent News: Gateway Founder To Reclaim CEO Title (Jan 29 6:50 PM) SAN DIEGO (AP) In the wake of a sales slump and layoffs, personal computer maker Gateway Inc. announced Monday that company founder and chairman Ted Waitt will replace Jeff Weitzen as chief executive. - I hope Lante thinks about taking the same approach. |
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| 01.29.2001 | ||
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| 01.21.2001 | ||
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Can't we just get our act together and all get along? When are we going to snap out of this slump - or are we destined for self-destruction? |
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| 01.11.2001 | ||
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It is certainly understood that there are differences amongst the disciplines, but to summarily accuse everyone in the UX group of having an us against them attitude is simply ignorant of the reality of Lante's culture. Members of Tech, DM and Strat are equality as elitist and/ or exclusionary as you claim the whole UX team is but no one has attacked the entire group for it. Also it seems that whoever wrote this seems bitter that UX had been getting more work than Tech for awhile. It doesn't really matter either was as Lante seems to be on the path to pursue the fashionable role as being a strategy-driven boutique. They didn't really follow through with being user-centered now they are putting on a different hat. Either way. No one or no group is perfect. Please avoid summary judgements. It displays your ignorance and insecurity. |
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| 01.11.2001 | ||
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Crazy Lante: How can we offer prices soooooo low? We're CRAZZZZZZZZZZY!!!!!! That's right, come to Crazy Lante's Discount Warehouse Superstore. Bad credit, no credit, no venture capital, dot-com... We help them all! Call in the next 10 minutes and get a 2001 combination coffee mug/mouse pad free.* "Free you say!!! Insane you say!!!" Nooooooooooooo. But it is CRAZZZZZZZZZZZY!!!! Our staff of Subject Matter Experts can help you.* Just ask Guy Jones... Guy Jones: I hired Lante and my doors and windows have never looked better! Crazy Lante: That's right, and we can do the same for you. "How?" We're CRAZZZZZZZZZY!!!!! *Lante can not be held accountable for or be expected to deliver on accusations made by "Crazy Lante". He doesn't know what he's talking about. |
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| 01.08.2001 | ||
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Lante Infrastructure Team Beaten, Starved In recent events at a leading e-Market Platform Developer, Lante Corporation, has recently taken a up managment style tips from middle-age surfdom, re-instituting the practice of beating and starving their employees. "We've done some research on management style right around the turn of the 11th century and we feel as an organization that they really had something there." Lante Managment remarked earlier today, "we started with just our infrastructure group and if things turn out like they have started, I'm sure we'll roll these beatings and whippings out to the rest of the company." A high ranking manager who wished to remain nameless mentioned that recent events at the Lante Executive Directors meetings have cleared the way for a new "torture competancy" at Lante. Said one insider "the initial positions will probably include two or three Dungeon Masters, and at least one Executioner, and probably at least dozen Court Jesters. This kind of physical torture is new to us so we've asked the State Department to allow a special travel visa for former Chilan General Augusto Pinochet to join our leadership team, as a leader in modern day torture and extorsion we look forward to working with Augusto." One Lante High-Impact Mangement Team member remarked to reporters, "We're really tired of doing anything that makes any sense. All the feedback we've been getting from out underlings, well it has really annoyed us, and this new program lets us take our uninformed whims and run with them. Even our bad ideas have to be better than any suggestion from our infrastructure team. We're really too arrogant and pompus to admit we were ever wrong, or to take and criticism without dolling out at least a few lashes with the cat-o-nine." Industry experts and former Lante employees are sure this recent anouncement will be followed shortly with merit decreses and promotion of idiots to senior managment, some speculate that this has happened already. |
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| 12.14.2000 | ||
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I've got four words to describe Management: - Ignorance - Pretension - Submissive - Reneging |
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| 12.13.2000 | ||
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There's no "I" in "TEAM"... I just have to say I really dislike the "us and them" attitude that seems to be originating from UX. This company was founded on technology and it remains the largest part of what we deliver to our customers. While the UX pieces are important, they certainly don't steal the spotlight from any project. If this company is going to succeed in our marketplace, we need to be a TEAM, and that means EVERYONE is equally important to the success of a project. Can't we all just get along? |
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| 12.08.2000 | ||
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What would happen if we changed C2V to mean Concept to Viagra? We could have a new salute where you drop your pants and raise your . . . . People would really become excited about living the brand. Perhaps people would even begin to look forward to layoffs and we could schedule them on a regular basis (i.e., following happy hours seems to be a natural fit). |
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