April 21, 2014

Tom Preston-Werner resigns from GitHub

GitHubA platform for Git hosting, pull requests, and CI — the center of open-source collaboration. co-founder Tom Preston-Werner resigned on April 21, 2014 after an internal investigation into workplace conduct.

What it was for

Tom Preston-WernerPreston-Werner co-created GitHubA platform for Git hosting, pull requests, and CI — the center of open-source collaboration., Jekyll, and Semantic Versioning — but his departure forced GitHubA platform for Git hosting, pull requests, and CI — the center of open-source collaboration. to add formal management after years of a flat structure. The episode marked a turning point in Silicon Valley workplace culture discourse.

People

  • Tom Preston-Wernerco founder

Companies

  • GitHub

Why it's here

Preston-Werner's exit ended GitHubA platform for Git hosting, pull requests, and CI — the center of open-source collaboration.'s founder-led flat organization era.

Why it mattered

It prompted GitHubA platform for Git hosting, pull requests, and CI — the center of open-source collaboration. to institutionalize management and HR processes at scale.

What it solved

A bossless culture lacked accountability mechanisms when internal conflicts escalated.

Media

  • Tom Preston-Werner
    ImageTom Preston-Werner

    Norman Posselt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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