The organization once operated with strong leadership, particularly during the tenure of the previous CFO and the years prior to the pandemic. Unfortunately, that level of direction has been absent in recent times, and it often feels like there’s no one truly at the helm.
Among the top leadership, only half are based in the same state as the main office. Of those, one is rarely present and often delegates nearly all responsibilities to her direct reports. Communication is minimal—except around company travel, where expenses can become noticeably generous around her tabs.
The other in-state senior leader oversees multiple critical departments, despite having no formal background or experience in any of them. It’s hard not to notice when the President of the company, who is often away for stretches as long as 4 months, make dismissive remarks and openly mocks the man.
Employee development, compensation growth, and workplace stability don’t appear to be prioritized. Although HR sends out an annual survey to collect staff feedback, those responses often become the subject of internal jokes among management, who then strategize ways to reframe the more critical insights.
Promotions and leadership appointments seem to reward persistence over performance. Several current managers were shifted from one department to another after struggling in earlier roles, eventually landing in new positions with elevated titles but little substance or oversight, with some coming into a management position with no actual role, team, or function. Their jobs are seemingly to be present across multiple meetings daily, interject, take notes, but have no take away. Leadership visibility and accountability remain inconsistent, at best.
