TSM Investigation Results
In late November 2021, concerning claims were made by former employees, players, and other individuals about my behavior as TSM’s CEO. Upon learning about these allegations, TSM’s Board of Directors immediately created a special board subcommittee and hired an independent outside investigator to begin an internal investigation. It was extremely important to me that this investigation was as in-depth and thorough as possible, so I fully recused myself from the process and also preemptively agreed to follow through on any recommendations from the subcommittee.
After interviewing over 30 current and past employees and contractors including all current League of Legends players, the investigator found no evidence of any unlawful behavior on the part of the company, its executives, or by me personally. In addition, not a single witness described any systemic and/or isolated incidents of sexual harassment or gender discrimination.
While going through this process, I realized that I need to improve the way that I communicate with team members. Over the years, I have prided myself on having a management style that is direct, open and honest. However, as the company has grown, it has become increasingly clear that my current communication style is not effective at times. I want to be the best CEO and leader that I can be, and I have learned that there are many ways that I can improve my communication and delivery when offering feedback. I have frustratingly asked my team members about their work and what value it creates, and at times saying that their work ‘creates no value.’ I understand that this can and does make people feel as if I think they are ‘worthless.’ This is not my intent and I am sorry. The bottom line is that my tone and delivery matters, and when I communicate with team members in ways like this, the result can be demotivating.
In addition, there were concerns that were raised about me calling employees names. We started this company 12 years ago with a few people and would joke around with each other, giving each other nicknames such as Pokemon names, or calling each other ‘bots’. Since then, our company has grown exponentially, and I am proud of the diverse group of employees who work with us, including many who do not have the same background that I do. With some of these early employees, we still tease and call each other names, but I understand that this can make others uncomfortable and feel excluded, especially when they don’t have context. That said, I will be more mindful of others and being inclusive while still maintaining a fun culture.
Moving forward, I will be working with an executive coach to improve my communication to make sure that our company culture supports and motivates our employees to achieve both company goals and their personal goals. In order to make sure our company holds all employees, including me, accountable, I am working with members of my executive team to implement several company-wide initiatives, including:
A three-month top to bottom, full evaluation of our company culture. This will be a collaborative effort, and all employees no matter their role will play a significant part in this important initiative.
Implementing an anonymous reporting hotline for anyone to share concerns in the workplace.
Facilitating consistent and ongoing employee workshops with outside experts to re-emphasize our commitment to a positive and productive working environment.
I began my professional esports journey as a teenager, and now, over a decade later, am the proud founder and CEO of the world’s most valuable esports organization. I am grateful for the opportunity to push my company to the next level, and I will take up this challenge with the same drive and determination that brought TSM here.
It is very important to be open and honest with you, our fans and community, and to make sure you hear the truth directly from me. Although it is uncommon, I would like to share our investigation summary to be fully transparent:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T_8dCNMB5Jrq9x6Fv9_tdvoFv-eDfY9B/view?usp=sharing
