Pros
Real friendships made under strain
Cons
Individual staff members are systematically targeted with unreasonable, ever-changing demands and threats, creating conditions so psychologically damaging that resignation or dismissal becomes inevitable. This is directly from the leadership team of two. This has happened time and time again over a period of years, despite frequent assertions that things are changing or these are “bad patches”. Some staff play along or perpetuate this. Eventually, though, even the loyal fall out of favour and are purged – including this year those who were only a matter of weeks before “best friends” with leadership or who contributed most to business successes. The leadership pair disparages those who have left to remaining staff. Because of this, the turnover is extreme. They bring in a series of well-regarded, talented people, motivated by promises about mission and culture that turn out to be false. When people leave because of the values and toxicity they are often immediately banished and it is blamed on them – sometimes without even a mention – other staff are left to work out what on earth has happened. Disrespect is pervasive: the way the leadership team talk about their colleagues, ex-colleagues and clients around the office is shockingly unprofessional. They misrepresent their values and expertise on the website, LinkedIn and during hiring. In my direct experience, consultant credentials were misrepresented to clients. Talk of “high standards” and “radical candour” is used to excuse bullying that is nothing to do with standards. This is not a serious organisation. There is no accountability or checks & balances. The firm is a vehicle for leadership's impulses rather than a professionally-run business. Anyone who wonders whether this can be true: look back before the new name, to old LinkedIn posts, reach out to ex (or current) colleagues. If you scratch beneath the self-congratulation to see the wild turnover, regular unjustified demotions, and abandoned “exciting new directions” – you’ll get a sense of a deeply problematic history that speaks of something both sinister and laughable.