Toxic, Competitive Culture That Feels Intentional
Pros
There were genuinely some smart, kind, and hardworking people on the team. A few colleagues made difficult days more manageable, and I did learn from individuals who cared about doing great work.
Cons
The environment felt tense and adversarial. Competition between employees was not just common, it felt encouraged. I was directly and indirectly pushed to shift blame onto others or distance myself from teammates to protect my own standing. That dynamic created distrust and constant anxiety rather than collaboration. Leadership played a significant role in shaping this atmosphere. Decisions around performance, visibility, and advancement often seemed to reward internal politics over teamwork. Instead of building people up, the culture felt like it operated through elimination. Morale was low, turnover was noticeable, and there was a broader sense of instability within the industry that made long term growth feel uncertain.