Braverman gone?!

Originally Posted By cheesybaby

Read somewhere else that Barry Braverman has been laid off from WDI. What do we know about this? What are the implications?

 

Originally Posted By idleHands

Barry has been gone for several weeks now. He knew he was going to be shown the door, since this past summer. All we know is that current management felt no need to protect his job, as did previous management, who are now folding t-shirts or something, near the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

As for the implications...

this could be good, or it could be bad. It all depends which "side" you're aligned with, and what you'd like to see happen in the future, regarding park development.

Personally, I feel this action is from the "too little, too late" playbook. Eliminating Barry is merely putting a Band-Aid over a bloody gaping wound the size of Krispy Kreme doughnut. The "Executive Committee" totally calls the shots, and places far too much emphasis on reducing costs and maximizing profits, at the expense of creativity and ingenuity.

WDI will continue with the layoffs, which are rumored to begin again this month. Creative Development is being hit the hardest, given the fiscal managers' philosophy that "talent" is expendable and easily replaced. Perhaps this is true for the wannabes and posers of this world. True talent, however, as celebrated in the Disney Legend Plaza in Burbank, is rare indeed.

Too bad the current crop of executive pencil pushers has yet to learn this lesson.

 

Originally Posted By trekkeruss

<<Eliminating Barry is merely putting a Band-Aid over a bloody gaping wound the size of Krispy Kreme doughnut.>>

Speaking of talent, yours isn't writing. LOL.

 

Originally Posted By jmuboy

great post idelhands

 

Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA

So, when Barry is at WDI, it's a bad thing.

When Barry leaves WDI, it's also a bad thing.

2 - 1 = 0?

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

>All we know is that current management felt no need to protect his job, as did previous management, who are now folding t-shirts or something, near the Embarcadero in San Francisco.<

I'm certainly no fan of DL's previous management team, but that comment was a low blow considering that Pressler's job postion at GAP's Embarcadero office is CEO. Cynthia Harriss is President of GAP North American division. They most likely have little time for t-shirt folding.

 

Originally Posted By idleHands

"So, when Barry is at WDI, it's a bad thing.

When Barry leaves WDI, it's also a bad thing."


Not quite.

Barry at WDI was a bad thing. But Barry leaving WDI didn't solve anything. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't necessarily helpful.

Barry was simply one of many executives who got put on the promotion fast track because of one perceived success (Innoventions), higher ups he knew, and a willingness to suck up and kiss you-know-what.

But eliminating Barry doesn't solve the overriding problem of WDI still being controlled by execs who don't understand what true creativity is, where it comes from, and what must be done to nurture it and maintain it.

Yes, the bloody gaping wound is too large for the Band-Aid fixes that Glendale continues to apply. (Sorry, trekkeruss, but I haven't eaten yet, and I can't get the doughnut image outta my head!) And laying off more creative folk will not solve the problem.

Will the layoffs help the bottom line? For the short-term, yes. But for the long haul? It's only going to make matters worse, while theme park prices continue to rise, but the addition of brand new, must-see attractions continues to trickle in at a snail's pace.

 

Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA

But, if a perceived weaklink leaves the company -- does that not leave room for a replacement to come in and provide a new perspective?

Or someone currently within the organization to move in and champion something fresh and delightful?

I'm probably so child-like and naive though, right?

 

Originally Posted By idleHands

"I'm certainly no fan of DL's previous management team, but that comment was a low blow considering that Pressler's job postion at GAP's Embarcadero office is CEO. Cynthia Harriss is President of GAP North American division. They most likely have little time for t-shirt folding."

Considering how disappointed investment analysts are with Pressler now, I don't see it as a "low blow" at all.

Pressler's praises after his first year at Gap were falsely attributed to him. His predecessor was mostly responsible for the foundation he put in place, that Pressler took credit for establishing.

But the bloom is off the rose, and clothing retail analysts claim he's in way over his head, and doesn't know how to switch gears fast enough, given the nature of the business.

What a surprise. Not.

 

Originally Posted By idleHands

"But, if a perceived weaklink leaves the company -- does that not leave room for a replacement to come in and provide a new perspective?"

It sure does.

But apparently, WDI decided to fill his position with Kathryn Klatt, whom many in Glendale refer to as the Wicked Witch of the West. Kathryn is not well known for understanding the creative strengths of Imagineers chosen for specific projects, and has routinely removed and relocated art directors from project to project, mostly because of politics.

There is an opportunity for WDI to change the tide by removing Braverman. But replacing him with Klatt isn't much of a change.

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

"Considering how disappointed investment analysts are with Pressler now, I don't see it as a "low blow" at all."

Of course it is. He is not "folding t-shirts", as you so gracefully put it.

Oh, and look out, the sky is falling.

 

Originally Posted By disneywatcher

>> When Barry leaves WDI, it's also a bad thing. <<

I too went "huh?" over the idea that Braverman's departure was anything but good news. However, when this comment crops up...

>>>>> But replacing him with Klatt isn't much of a change. <<<<<

...I think of the phrase "garbage in, garbage out."

 

Originally Posted By knoxvelour

meet the new boss, same as the old boss

 

Originally Posted By disneywatcher

>> Kathryn is not well known for understanding the creative strengths of Imagineers chosen for specific projects <<

Why do such creative incompetents end up in fields or professions that are oriented to creativity? It makes me think of people who truly admire Disneyesque parks on one hand, and who, on the other, admire or aren't bothered by, say, Muholland Madness, or think the Adventures of Pooh ride is a wonderful addition to Disneyland.

 

Originally Posted By deadmentellnotales

I just thought of something ... Perhaps if he had been a braver man he'd have kept his postion. Sorry I just couldn't help myself.

 

Originally Posted By TP2000

>>"I'm certainly no fan of DL's previous management team, but that comment was a low blow considering that Pressler's job postion at GAP's Embarcadero office is CEO. Cynthia Harriss is President of GAP North American division. They most likely have little time for t-shirt folding."<<

So very true. This time of year they are folding sweaters, not t-shirts. Cynthia and the girls won't be folding t-shirts for another 8 or 10 weeks when the Spring merchandise finally comes in.

Pressler and Harriss never should have tried to play themselves off as Disneylanders, it was dishonest and brought the park some of it's darkest years. Cynthia was the worst offender in my opinion. And of course after all of the gushing comments over the years about how much she "loved" and "cared" for the place, she made a complete 180 after she was fired and let out some thinly veiled badmouthing of Disneyland in last years OCMetro story when she said...

"This is more important than just Disney, I'm clothing America now!"

Face it, Cynthia is a Gap Girl in the truest sense of the word, and she can probably fold a sweater in 4 seconds flat.

 

Originally Posted By knoxvelour

anyone else getting flashbacks of Adam Sandler, David Spade and Chris Farley in drag?

 

Originally Posted By mstaft

I think Barry seemed like a nice man who just rose to his level of incompetancy.

 

Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt

"Cynthia and the girls won't be folding t-shirts for another 8 or 10 weeks when the Spring merchandise finally comes in."

Such snide comments are not even worth rolling my eyes over. And belittling them does nothing to prove your point. So dumb.

Paul Pressler's base salary is $1.5 million, with a potential bonus worth nearly as much - plus stock options. Cynthia's salary is probably pretty substantial too. Again, these kinds of executives have no time to even look at sweaters or t-shirts, let alone fold them.

 

Originally Posted By woody

"Again, these kinds of executives have no time to even look at sweaters or t-shirts, let alone fold them."

Now, this is a truly snide comment. How can executives run the Gap and not know what they are selling?

You DO have to look at the sweaters even if you don't actually fold them, but there's nothing wrong with folding them since presentation makes the sale at a Gap store.

Back to WDI, what WDI? It will soon be gone with the DCA.