A couple of months ago, I explored the outward facing culture of SuccessFactors in a post called SuccessFactors - You're Hardcore, But I Love You Anyway.  The post explored the rationale that SuccessFactors gave for a reduction in headcount that looked to be a layoff.  When asked about a reduction in headcount, SuccessFactors didn't take the usual approach of talking about a layoff, they instead presented the following - "The headcount reduction was not a layoff. We eliminated low performers and we eliminated a group associated with a vertical focused area that did not produce results"

I had mixed feelings about that.  Part of me thinks its dicey to throw the phrase "low performers" and the concept of group elimination together, because I think any time a company shutters an entire project or division, there are usually employees of above average and even excellent quality who get caught up in the move.

Translation - some of it might be your fault as a company.  You can have the wrong strategy or market as a company, and the talent you recruit can get impacted by that.  

Still, I respect the fact that SuccessFactors would spin their culture as being hardcore for performance management, even in their own operations.  That means they're passionate about the space, even if they're being reckless in potentially sharing flawed performance data on those impacted.

Need more proof that SuccessFactors is hardcore?  See the recent press release on a product they like to call "Stack Ranker", which is kind of like marketing a paddle as a "butt buster". Here's a taste straight from the SuccessFactors press release:

"Stack Ranker enables companies to:

-- Visually Rank Talent -- Instantly identify top-ranked players so that managers can optimize teams by motivating and cultivating their best people. With Stack Ranker, managers can give rewards to top employees that deserve extra recognition, or quickly identify low performers to let go when faced with tough layoff decisions.

-- Go Beyond Performance Reviews -- Stack Ranker expands the formal review process by capturing new characteristics for a more holistic assessment. Users can incorporate factors like criticality of the role into ranking or other criteria to serve as tie-breakers.

-- Assess Everyone at Once -- Quickly assess an entire team across critical competencies and criteria in real time -- all in one place. Side-by-side rating promotes more accurate relative assessments.

Stack Ranker more tightly integrates performance management into everyday business decisions, helping managers and leaders to make informed, empowered choices about their workforce," said SuccessFactors CEO Lars Dalgaard. "Now, more than ever, in these tough economic times, companies need immediate access to team performance, to reward and recognize top performers or to ramp up or down as necessary. Stack Ranker easily helps managers make that happen."

Stack Ranker...  Need any more data that shows SuccessFactors is the aggressive kid on the playground?  By introducing a feature/product during the down economy that uses terminology directly associated with a process of identifying those who might be impacted by a layoff, the company leaves little to the imagination.

Brilliant marketing or the equivalent of MTV's "Road Rules" in the talent management space?  As always, I guess the market will decide.