Pros
Once a Thriving Ecosystem: Early on, collaboration and mentorship were core to the culture. Teams operated like a well-oiled machine, with innovation and mutual respect driving results. Autonomy: Pre-disruption, experienced members had freedom to experiment and refine strategies. Legacy of Trust: Leadership used to emerge organically from within, fostering loyalty and shared purpose.
Cons
Hostile Leadership Shift: External leaders with zero understanding of our workflows were parachuted in. Their "my way or the highway" approach dismantled decades of tribal knowledge. Toxic Metrics Overload: Obsession with KPIs replaced nuance. Teams were forced to abandon proven methods for untested, one-size-fits-all mandates. No Growth Paths: High performers realized they’d never advance under the new regime. Promotions went to outsiders, not those who built the culture. Burnout Culture: “Sacrifice yourself if you fail” became the mantra. Key roles were phased out, leaving teams stranded. Exodus of Talent: The best innovators left. What remains is a shell of what once was. I joined this organization at its peak, when trust and creativity were celebrated. We hit targets effortlessly because everyone understood the "why" behind their work. Then, a sudden leadership overhaul replaced our respected internal mentors with outsiders who dismissed our expertise. They prioritized speed over sustainability, brute force over cleverness. Teams fractured. Veterans quit rather than comply with nonsensical directives. Innovators were micromanaged into irrelevance. Worst of all? The new leaders gaslit us, blaming systemic failures on individuals instead of their own incompetence. The final straw? Watching talent—once eager to learn—become jaded, realizing they’d never rise in a hierarchy that valued credentials over cultural fit.