Madison reveals experiences working at LMG

[starsmine]

1 minute ago, imreloadin said:

Where is that from?

https://www.youtube.com/@LinusTechTips/community

[HesCalledTheStig]

3 minutes ago, starsmine said:

50% sure thats just this 

It is one and the same. 

[Drazil100]

A thought just crossed my mind that I’m now wondering about… (and no this isn’t me trying to dismiss anything). 
 

Would the community have taken this as seriously if it WASN’T Madison? Madison’s history at LMG is fairly unique in that because of how entertaining she was in ROG Rig Reboot the community was instantly pushing for LMG to hire her. In a way we all had some personal investment in her career at LMG. As a result I feel like many of us (myself included) feel betrayed that all our hard work to get LMG to hire her resulted in her having such a bad time at the company. 
 

The point of this post isn’t to tell anyone to chill out or anything like that… I just hope we take it this seriously when it isn’t someone we have personal investment in. 

[fXjZL5]

8 minutes ago, vanamp said:

 

 

Is there any proof that this MindChop story is real?  I know the play button auction video is real but searching comes up with only that one Reddit post and another debunking it.

 

There isn't any proof at all. I hope it's not real, because it's a terrible fucking series of events. 

[XtraLarge]

7 hours ago, Cosmic Emotion said:

This is correct but you have to take into account the pressure she was, according to her statements, dealing with at the time. People don't think straight at this kind of times as was so profoundly proven by Linus's response to the first GN video (thank God the statement about Madison's allegations was much better).

 

People have to be understanding in any case. Perhaps Madison cannot keep her calm in times of great pressure. Does that mean that, if what she says is true, she is in the wrong? Definitely not.

 

I seriously hope there is a proper investigation going on and something will come out of it. Because I also think there are a lot of parties wanting to see the downfall of LMG.

 

So guys, be serious, be thorough. That's all we ask for.

If she is willing to go to that extreme to self-harm due to being overwhelmed @ work, would she be willing to (even if subconsciously) "exaggerate" other events/situations? The allegations don't have any actual proof.

[GhostRoadieBL]

Having watched the job listings for years (more out of curiosity than job hunting), there is a very very small amount of turnover for such a high paced pressured company.

Average turnover for tech and media companies is 12.9% annually yet LMG seems to be stable and growing. There must be something about working there which keeps people there and even when employees leave it's quiet and rarely heard about.

[wanderingfool2]

9 hours ago, Taf the Ghost said:

The company is in BC. She wouldn't need a lawyer to sue. There's a government agency to handle most of this stuff if it wasn't addressed internally. She's apparently competent enough to give an explanation of the work environment issues, but not to either call or email an authority that could actually redress her grievances. Still. Over a year later.

So I'm from BC.  While there is ways to go about things legally; at the same time you would potentially risk your career in some places.  I've seen people denied jobs because lawsuits or even human rights tribunals are looked at as a negative (yes it might not be legal, but not getting a job can be a hard thing to prove why you didn't get it).

 

Actually, at least bashing employers in a space like Glasshouse would have less impact for future employment. 

[GhostRoadieBL]

Just now, CatisEconomics said:

Think about how turnover works when there is also massive growth in hiring. LTT has hired a lot of new people, probationary periods would likely mean some of the turnover is less obvious as a job posting had multiple people go for the job. If the company grows at a fast pace like say doubling the turnover will likely seem less significant but if you double in size in a year from something like 50 to 100 it will make it look significantly lower.

On top of this is turnover can be focused in certain areas where the stress is greatest, an average turnover for a multifaceted company like this doesn't mean as much as a small team of writers having a 20-40% turnover. Turnover ain't everything as it is a stat which can be measured in more ways than one

I've mostly been taking job reposts and public available data (ie LMG team members page history) as a metric of turnover, since it's a private company there's no public accounting for gaines and lost employees, along with minimal public info from former employees (disgruntled rage posts/got fired posts)

When a company has a problem or is burning bridges with it's employees regularly, you do hear about it.

[dynastes]

I just came across this story, specifically in form of this video by RTU:

 

 

 

Rich says it himself, some might consider this mere hearsay. In fact, some people definitely will, there were quite some fanboys around for the other controversy recently, too.

To others this might even seem like Madison "piling on". They might ask, why she comes out with it now, years after the fact.

 

Well, I, for one, think that is obvious. Look at the image most of us had of LMG just DAYS AGO. The backlash would have been insane - it probably still will be. If what he says is even partly true though, LMG has finally openly proven itself to be just another cooperation with a toxic work environment and higher-ups that can do whatever they want, because they enjoy a priviledged position and are basically untouchable because of it.

 

Yes, I know, there is not technically prove of anything and there certainly won't be either. And yes, not everyone will have the same experience as Madison had. At the end of the day there are many subtle factors that contribute to a person being bullied, be it in the workplace or somewhere else in life. However, I must say I am simply disgusted by what was written, because I am inclined to believe her.

 

@LinusTech

 

As I said before, a millionaire techtuber is unlikely to actually care about how his community feels, but I still want you to know that, if this is true, and if it is you most probably know about it, the company deserves every bit of ill will that comes toward it right now. If teams allow for the sort of chemistry that encourages behaviour like this, they are clearly not competently put together and / or managed. And now excuse me, I will go and throw up in your honor.

 

 

 

 

[mikaelus]

After listening to the "leaked" audio from the HR meeting I'm beginning to lean in LMG's defence. Until now I was 50/50 about it - word against word, no actual proof of anything. But after this clip I have no idea who would be outraged about anything in it, including James' quip - at least not anybody with an adult brain.

 

It seems to me that it's just a typical Gen Z meltdown of a coddled brat who had a hard landing in adult reality and either couldn't bear it emotionally after twenty years of being fed participation trophies or decided to mine it for attention given current public attitudes, especially following the #metoo drama a few years ago.

 

If it was a systemic problem then more people would have come forward about it and start flinging names. Why isn't even Madison talking about specific people, hm? Why isn't Glassdoor flooded with poor reviews? 

I used to work in a young tech company of about 100 people, with a toxic CEO in charge, and so I know that mistreated employees will definitely voice their grievances regularly, even if under cover of anonymity.

 

If there is a crime there is a culprit - not the company. If someone did something bad, you name them once you decide to go public. Where is that? Or was it just a case of an underperforming young hire who decided to go rogue after collecting records of some crude jokes, which are commonplace in male-dominated industries, especially in IT, and decided to make a mountain out of a mole hill?

 

This isn't rare or new in the current reality, after all. Younger generations, despite being raised in objectively the best conditions in human history, are reporting far greater incidence of emotional and mental problems, and are prescribed drugs far more frequently than any generation before (in a trend observable all the way back to WW2).

 

Unless some real evidence emerges, I currently don't see any credible argument for any sort of harassment here. Just a maladjusted female who probably didn't get along with others (or just wasn't pulling her weight) and is either using the current climate to elicit public sympathy or is cynically milking it for attention, while stabbing LTT in the back when it's on the ropes for other reasons.

 

Given all I've seen I don't trust a word out of Madison's mouth.

[Rolling2405]

10 minutes ago, mikaelus said:

After listening to the "leaked" audio

What audio? Post a link or tell us where to find it so we can all listen to it.

[Taf the Ghost]

1 minute ago, dynastes said:

I just came across this story, specifically in form of this video by RTU:

 

 

 

Rich says it himself, some might consider this mere hearsay. In fact, some people definitely will, there were quite some fanboys around for the other controversy recently, too.

To others this might even seem like Madison "piling on". They might ask, why she comes out with it now, years after the fact.

 

Well, I, for one, think that is obvious. Look at the image most of us had of LMG just DAYS AGO. The backlash would have been insane - it probably still will be. If what he says is even partly true though, LMG has finally openly proven itself to be just another cooperation with a toxic work environment and higher-ups that can do whatever they want, because they enjoy a priviledged position and are basically untouchable because of it.

 

Yes, I know, there is not technically prove of anything and there certainly won't be either. And yes, not everyone will have the same experience as Madison had. At the end of the day there are many subtle factors that contribute to a person being bullied, be it in the workplace or somewhere else in life. However, I must say I am simply disgusted by what was written, because I am inclined to believe her.

 

 

Or, former employee that has a personal axe to grind about not being supported in her personal content creator career, that has taken vague shots at the company for 18 months, makes declarative statements of Canadian employment law violations about Linus when the company is in a negative PR space. She also publicly stated to have been in a bad mental state from before the start of her employment and taken to self-harm from an inability to cope with whatever her issues were.

 

It's almost as if one can very easily see a disgruntled former employee taking an opportunity of revenge for what they perceived to be injuries to them at a time where they can inflict the most damage.

 

Narratives can cut many ways.  What's to say she hasn't just defamed a bunch of people because her mental health was terrible and she took everything out of context that was said to her for a time?  There's a reason people shouldn't jump to conclusions with just a vague accusation.

[Vishwajer]

 

Quote

 

On 10/8/2022 at 6:29 PM, Vishwajer said:

Lately, I think you have a wider audience with wider views which is a sign of the progress and reach you have. So, now you have to be cautious (and that is what most big companies do in terms of PR which we as consumers hate but necessary if you have a wider audience) on what you say in the videos.

 

And I'm sad to say this, but what you have said about inefficiencies when you grow people is hitting your content harder than you may think. Hope you will get your bearings and more concentrate.

 

 

 

Quote from another discussion. 

 

This is exactly what I thought will happen. LMG should hire independent parties and do a full vertical audit. And they should be transparent about it too. Quality over quantity any day. And, I was never a fan of these big designations like CVO, COO etc. You don't give those titles easily. And, create a PR department. Everything should be vetted by them. Even you can appoint FP community members as potential test audience to get reviews before the video goes live for 'some' videos. 

 

The company must grow organically/naturally. 

[mikaelus]

1 minute ago, Rolling2405 said:

What audio? Post a link or tell us where to find it so we can all listen to it.

Someone shared it in the thread already. It's posted on reddit, here: 

 

[imreloadin]

12 minutes ago, mikaelus said:

After listening to the "leaked" audio I'm beginning to lean in LMG's defence. Until now I was 50/50 about it - word against word, no actual proof of anything. But after this clip I have no idea who would be outraged about anything in it, including James' quip - at least not anybody with an adult brain.

 

It seems to me that it's just a typical Gen Z meltdown of a coddled brat who had a hard landing in adult reality and either couldn't bear it emotionally after twenty years of being fed participation trophies or decided to mine it for attention given current public attitudes, especially following the #metoo drama a few years ago.

 

If it was a systemic problem then more people would have come forward about it and start flinging names. Why isn't even Madison talking about specific people, hm? Why isn't Glassdoor flooded with poor reviews? 

I used to work in a young tech company of about 100 people, with a toxic CEO in charge, and so I know that mistreated employees will definitely voice their grievances regularly, even if under cover of anonymity.

 

If there is a crime there is a culprit - not the company. If someone did something bad, you name them once you decide to go public. Where is that? Or was it just a case of an underperforming young hire who decided to go rogue after collecting records of some crude jokes, which are commonplace in male-dominated industries, especially in IT, and decided to make a mountain out of a mole hill?

 

This isn't rare or new in the current reality, after all. Younger generations, despite being raised in objectively the best conditions in human history, are reporting far greater incidence of emotional and mental problems, and are prescribed drugs far more frequently than any generation before (in a trend observable all the way back to WW2).

 

Unless some real evidence emerges, I currently don't see any credible argument for any sort of harassment here. Just a maladjusted female who probably didn't get along with others (or just wasn't pulling her weight) and is either using the current climate to elicit public sympathy or is cynically milking it for attention, while stabbing LTT in the back when it's on the ropes for other reasons.

 

Given all I've seen I don't trust a word out of Madison's mouth.

Or, you know, you could look at what Colin, who worked for LMG until about a year ago, said backing up a lot of Madison's statements...

 

But hey, who needs other first hand accounts on things, you do you.

[mikaelus]

2 minutes ago, imreloadin said:

Or, you know, you could look at what Colin, who worked for LMG until about a year ago, said backing up a lot of Madison's statements...

 

But hey, who needs other first hand accounts on things, you do you.

And what did he say specifically?

[dynastes]

8 minutes ago, Taf the Ghost said:

Or, former employee that has a personal axe to grind about not being supported in her personal content creator career, that has taken vague shots at the company for 18 months, makes declarative statements of Canadian employment law violations about Linus when the company is in a negative PR space. She also publicly stated to have been in a bad mental state from before the start of her employment and taken to self-harm from an inability to cope with whatever her issues were.

 

It's almost as if one can very easily see a disgruntled former employee taking an opportunity of revenge for what they perceived to be injuries to them at a time where they can inflict the most damage.

 

Narratives can cut many ways.  What's to say she hasn't just defamed a bunch of people because her mental health was terrible and she took everything out of context that was said to her for a time?  There's a reason people shouldn't jump to conclusions with just a vague accusation.

As I said, people will consider this hearsay and for good reason, too. However, what you said remains speculation at least just as much. We are not likely to find out what's the actual facts.

 

However, some of the things she claims are, if not outright lies, absolutely inacceptable, not matter the context of the situation - or don't you think so?

 

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to jump to conclusions here, even though I get that it might have come across this way. But if there are any reasons whatsoever to level such accusations, even if the true story might be less extreme, it still does not bode well for the company they are leveled against.

 

  

5 minutes ago, mikaelus said:

Someone shared it in the thread already. It's posted on reddit, here: 

 

Mmh, okay. Sounds like a bunch of plattitudes to me, but fine.

[mikaelus]

1 minute ago, dynastes said:

  Mmh, okay. Sounds like a bunch of plattitudes to me, but fine.

It does, but some people are still able to have a meltdown about them.

[Cosmic Emotion]

The audio is proof of what has actually happened to Madison. I can't believe people say it's fine. Linus at least DID say most right things (his employees not knowing about the Anonymous Form is a great mistake there). And James should be fired imo after all that happened to Madison and the way he reacted to a meeting about harassment. Think how Madison feels about it right now that she heard him joke about it.

[Kravatie1]

4 minutes ago, Cosmic Emotion said:

The audio is proof of what has actually happened to Madison. I can't believe people say it's fine. Linus at least DID say most right things (his employees not knowing about the Anonymous Form is a great mistake there). And James should be fired imo after all that happened to Madison and the way he reacted to a meeting about harassment. Think how Madison feels about it right now that she heard him joke about it.

lol it proves nothing mate

 

Also madison doesn't exactly have a nice streak

 

[mikaelus]

4 minutes ago, Cosmic Emotion said:

The audio is proof of what has actually happened to Madison. I can't believe people say it's fine. Linus at least DID say most right things (his employees not knowing about the Anonymous Form is a great mistake there). And James should be fired imo after all that happened to Madison and the way he reacted to a meeting about harassment. Think how Madison feels about it right now that she heard him joke about it.

What proof exactly? Please cite it. 

 

And why would Madison's feelings matter at all?

[Cosmic Emotion]

Just now, Kravatie1 said:

lol it proves nothing mate

 

Also madison doesn't exactly have a nice streak

 

You're so funny I can't hold myself. Going to the toilet. One sec. brb XD XD XD

[McGherkin]

4 minutes ago, imreloadin said:

Or, you know, you could look at what Colin, who worked for LMG until about a year ago, said backing up a lot of Madison's statements...

 

But hey, who needs other first hand accounts on things, you do you.

And that David Gautier has gone through the twitter thread liking Madison’s posts.

 

And that the video of the staff meeting discussing an allegation happened in Dec 2021 when Madison left, despite Linus now claiming he doesn’t recognise any of the events described.

 

And that Madison’s accounts of the working environment tally up with other ex-LMG accounts of the place, workload and conditions wise.

 

There is currently far more evidence that this DID happen than did not. But clearly it will never be enough for some of the LMG community.

 

It’s all very well saying you want to wait for the outcome of the investigation, but to claim that there’s no merit to these accusations or that there’s no evidence is patently incorrect.

[Cosmic Emotion]

Just now, mikaelus said:

What proof exactly? Please cite it. 

 

And why would Madison's feelings matter at all?

Proof of mistreatment? Do you deny that?

[Rolling2405]

18 hours ago, kalleth said:

The timing is appropriate and understandable for two reasons:

1. The allegations she's making (which are so, so familiar to many of us) are linked to a toxic workplace culture, which is in a way one of the problems that was raised by the original GN post
2. The environment surrounding the original GN accusations mean an environment now exists where she can go public with the bad experiences that she had and not immediately be threatened or dismissed by the community. It provides an environment in which people are finally willing to listen.

Explaining why she left took a lot of stones, and now was absolutely the right time to explain. Well done her.

Couldn't agree more!