- "Never get comfortable" ... CSC throws the baby out with the bath water as it seeks constant improvement - it is often re-inventing its entire model. About every other year, entire divisions will be restructured from the bottom up. Policies, job definitions, reporting mechanisms, management styles will all be changed - leading to months of varying levels of chaos and lost time as workers figure out a new world order. Institutional history is lost as customers become nervous and register dis-satisfaction (that has to be addressed).
- "Cut the chaff." CSC adheres to the "ever weeding" business model. It force ranks its employees to the full spectrum, and regularly lays off the bottom 2% - 5%. A specialty team made up of 15 outstanding engineers and an underperforming department with 15 lacking employees would each be forced to name its best and worst and each have to discard the bottom 2 or 3 without regard to the realities of the situation. The savvy worker learns to bond closely with their management and keep them happy.
- "Unempowered Management." Only the highest level of executives of CSC are empowered. Even division Presidents and Exec. VP's find their ability to hire, make policy, or create solutions undermined at the next tier up. The feet on the floor live with a highly cynical worldview. The experienced ones will often go their own way, getting their job done as best as possible under the radar to keep out of the power struggles and ever-reversing directions they receive.
