XBOX COO defends herself.
Sharma announced the exit in a memo on 23 October, thanking Chiang for her service without giving a reason. Some reports that there was a policy violation.
Yesterday Chiang responded publicly for the first time.
“There has been some speculation about my abrupt departure from Microsoft, including claims that I was ‘fired for a policy violation.’ That’s not accurate,” she stated “Silence should not be mistaken for agreement.”
She titled her post “Clarity is Kindness,” and says she never leaked confidential information to the press or used channels outside those the company provided. She did not leave to join a competitor either. She did rule out discrimination, bullying, harassment, insider trading, embezzlement and fraud.
She also stated that she did not leave after being passed over for the CEO role, saying she never requested the COO appointment and was promoted into it in July.
“What has been said about my departure, and what has been left unsaid, has created a picture of me that I hardly recognize.”
“I believe in fairness, accountability, and holding ourselves to the standards we expect of others. Those standards only mean something when they’re applied consistently.” She says she has serious concerns about how her case was handled.
And: “I share this because I don’t want my departure reduced to an inaccurate story about incompetence, ambition for the next big job, or a Nelson-level scandal. My story is about staying true to your core values, especially when it is hard. That’s the legacy I hope to leave behind.”
The closing line: “This is not how I ever imagined my story here would end. And it is not the whole story.”
What Microsoft has said
A spokesperson stated “We don’t discuss individual personnel matters. We’re grateful for Helen’s years of service and wish her well.”
Chiang has denied the reported explanation. Microsoft hasn’t confirmed or contradicted her.
The title
Sharma actually used the phrase “clarity is kindness” to the Wall Street Journal when describing the difficult decisions involved in her restructuring.
Chiang borrowing it raises quiestions.
What she did there
She joined Microsoft in 2005. Worked on Xbox Live. Led Mojang and the Minecraft franchise for roughly eight years.
In July she became Xbox’s first chief operating officer, with Sharma’s memo describing “end-to-end P&L responsibility across content, hardware, platform, and services.” Three months later she was gone. Microsoft has retained the role.
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