In my experience, expectations felt unreasonable and unevenly applied - a mix of double standards and moving targets. Goals weren’t defined up front, and they could change mid-stream, which made it hard to know what “success” really looked like. It often felt like I was making headway, only to realize that the expectations have been rearranged overnight, rendering my progress irrelevant.
Collaboration suffered because teams and leaders didn’t seem aligned. There was a recurring dynamic where it felt like someone had to “win” and someone had to “lose,” rather than aiming for shared outcomes.
Culturally, there was a win-at-all-costs mindset that seemed to start at higher levels. Healthy competition can be motivating, but here it crossed into constant attrition. At times, it felt like revenue and speed were prioritized over employee mental health and sustainable performance.
Work-life balance was a challenge. There was noticeable pride in pushing past 5PM. With a heavy layer of Directors/VPs/SVPs, these “overpaid individual contributors” felt like wanting to justify their position and salary by glamorizing overwork.
Leadership credibility was an issue. Some leaders didn’t consistently practice what they preached, and situations could be framed in ways that felt self-serving. “Doing the right thing” didn’t always feel like the strongest suit - more like the “strong suite” was reserved for certain people.
Finally, communication and trust were non-existent. I saw instances where coworkers went around peers and reported directly to leaders, creating an environment where you wondered who had a direct line and who didn’t. It sometimes felt like unclear channels and behind-the-scenes escalation replaced open communication - leading to anxiety about whether someone was “spying on your work” rather than collaborating with you.
