Leadership, Loyalty and OpenAI Employee Revolt after Sam Altman Ouster

Sam Altman is now back as OpenAI CEO. It would be fair to say that one of the key developments that led to his return was a letter signed by more than 700 out of 750 OpenAI employees signaling their intent to leave OpenAI if their ousted CEO Sam Altman was not brought back. It is remarkable that that over 90% of a company has backed their ex-CEO potentially at risk of their employment. Even if we assume that only 50% of those who signed that letter actually believed in it, and the rest exhibited not altogether uncommon herd mentality, that is still significant. Apparently that list also included employees who were on work visas.

The employee revolt and the overwhelming support for Sam Altman’s return as OpenAI CEO highlight the strong sense of loyalty and trust that the employees can have for leadership (or not). It also sheds light on the importance of leadership and the impact it can have on employee morale and commitment. The fact that the letter included employees on work visas further emphasizes the level of dedication and investment these individuals have in the company and Altman’s leadership.

In an industry with high employee turnover and an overabundance of TC chasers, it is rare to see such a level of loyalty towards leadership. With tech workers anonymously ranting on their employers in forums such as Glassdoor and Blind, trust and loyalty like what we have witnessed comes as a breadth of fresh air. This unprecedented employee revolt serves as a reminder of the importance of effective leadership and the trust it can build within an organization.