Pros
- Some nice people to work with at junior levels
- Excellent summer party
- Opportunity to identify improvements
Cons
- Role advertised as 'Head of' but treated as a basic support function, with no real ownership or authority to drive improvement.
- Seniority existed in title only, with expertise and experience discounted as 'emotional, not factual, and not valuable'. One term used 'Experience does not cut the mustard' - then why hire such experience.
- Leadership (particularly COO level) resistant to change and modern practices, to the detriment of the wider business.
-No appetite to address risk or invest appropriately. IT is viewed purely as a cost rather than a business enabler, preventing significant growth.
- Poor communication from senior leadership, often indirect or inconsistent.
- Preference for verbal discussions over any written communication, with accountability issues when outcomes do not meet given instructions.
- Strong focus on presence (“optics”) over outcomes. Physical visibility is prioritised over actual delivery and results.
- HR function lacks independence and does not effectively challenge leadership decisions, contributing to an unhealthy working environment.
- Expectations are unclear and applied inconsistently, making it difficult to operate effectively in a senior role.
- Accountability is often misdirected, with outcomes attributed to individuals, despite decisions being driven at senior leadership level being the cause for failures.
- Conversations with ELT are one-way only, often like talking to a brick wall.