FULL DISCLAIMER - This is an altered post, therefore it's fully FICTIONAL.
I've replaced all instances of IBM (found in the Original article) and replaced them with Cisco. I've removed all instances of "Resource Action" and replaced it with LR.
I've removed references to IBM's CEO name and reference to IBM's instant messaging platform.
Here is the altered text:
A few months ago, I shared on social media that I planned to write a blog post on the one-year anniversary of my (voluntary) retirement from Cisco, at the end of 2014. I received more replies than I expected. There was lots of encouragement and support. I received many private messages asking me to cover this point or that. Several people asked me to be balanced – what did I miss about Cisco, and not so much. That's what I decided to do.
It’s taken me a bit longer than I had hoped to write this post. I’ve had a lot going on, almost all good stuff. The conclusion? For me, #LifeAfterCisco has been joyful. I have never been happier, healthier, or more fulfilled. Those who know me well are aware that my nature is to be passionate, fast moving, hard working and optimistic. I haven’t changed, but now I have a deeper, more meaningful connection to my work and life than ever before. I love what I do. I wake up every day energized, ready to get at it. There is no regret, no dread, no heartburn. All is well.
What do I miss about Cisco?
I miss my Cisco friends. Many of us are still connected on social networks, but it’s not quite the same as seeing them and working together on shared projects and common experience.
I miss some great Cisco bosses I had, who counseled, supported, guided and helped me to succeed. I won’t list names, but you know who you are.
#SocialHRSuccess won a big global HR award in early 2016 (from HR.com “Best Use of Social Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing”). While I am delighted about this, I am very disappointed that this important work has stopped, and that the volunteer team who did the work was never recognized by the senior HR leader, a VP on the HR global leadership team, who accepted the award. I spoke directly to that person asking him to give credit to the team, he said he would, but has not done so. #LeadershipFail
I miss working on fun, challenging, breakthrough global projects like acquisitions, divestitures and #SocialHRSuccess, which had such a positive impact on collaboration in Cisco HR, helped to improve HR performance, develop people, and created a global sense of community, teamwork and friendship across borders, country, organization and job role.
I miss the global nature of the work I did at Cisco, which always so deeply engaged and stretched me and helped me to learn more about people, cultures and ways of thinking, working and living.
I miss working on LGBT Leadership Development for the top global LGBT talent in Cisco, Out and Equal conferences, and the esprit de corps of Cisco Out Executives, of which I was proud to be a member.
Same with HR interns and the HR Leadership Development Program. I miss their energy, creativity, intelligence, capacity, spirit and joy.
I miss Cisco Connections and having a powerful global platform to listen, learn, share and collaborate with talented, diverse, interesting people. However, I love the Google email and collaboration platform I use now.
I miss spending time with my Cisco mentees, all 15 of them.
What don’t I miss about Cisco?
I don’t miss quarterly revenue and profitability reports, being driven maniacally to meet analyst and shareholder expectations, chronic cost control, benefit cuts (e.g., US 401(k) contribution timing), Resource Actions (RA) (that means firing people in big groups), and the fear of never knowing when you might get tapped on the shoulder or have to tap someone else.
It’s Q1, so it’s LR time (although now LRs happen every quarter, and severance payments have been slashed). Can anyone explain the logic of how cutting “worker bees” (primarily in high wage countries) is the chosen tactic when the company’s lack of top line growth is due to the actions or inaction of senior leaders on strategy, and their high cost? Can anyone explain how you grow revenue with unrelenting LRs that damage trust and instill fear?
Engaged, committed employees are essential to any company’s success. Cisco talks the talk, using the word essential to describe employees, but their behavior communicates clearly that they don’t believe it. Why would employees be loyal and engaged when Cisco leadership is clearly and demonstrably not loyal to them?
I’m not saying Cisco or any other company should take “workforce rebalancing” off the list. However, when it is an ongoing, primary source of cost savings (labor arbitrage) and profit padding, year after year, quarter after quarter, it is unconsciously debilitating, depressing and hurts business results. Has it worked to grow the top line (Cisco has had 16 consecutive quarters of declining revenue)? No. Is it improving employee productivity, teamwork and engagement? From what I have seen, no. Maybe try something else?
The Glassdoor ratings for Cisco are telling, and not good news. With five as a top score, Cisco has a 3.3 overall rating, 2.7 rating for senior management, 2.9 rating for compensation in many cases, it means less, and it also drives down creativity. "Fresh eyes" are important, and so is being well rested, healthy and a whole human being. This Harvard Business Review article makes the point very well.
I don’t miss the dread of spending several hours working every single Sunday afternoon or evening, and often Saturdays too, to "get ready" for the new week, having to check email to see what came in while I was enjoying my personal time. You Ciscoers are nodding your head right now; you know of which I speak. It's not normal. It should be challenged and changed.
I still work long days, weekends and holidays, probably 50 or 60 hours a week (okay, maybe more), I still take my computer and smartphone with me everywhere, but there is no obligation or expectation to do so. I do it because I love what I do, there is a deeper purpose to my work, what I do is meaningful and helps people.
I am not advocating for a stress-free work life. Enabling employees to live whole, well-rounded lives is a good thing for employer and employee. It means you're healthier, happier, more productive, and better able to think creatively and contribute more when you are at work. Not enough managers in Cisco serve their employees, and the company, by telling them to go home, put away the computer, be with their families and leave work at home when they are on holiday. Work hard. Play hard. Live your life.
I don’t miss feeling obligated or expected to work every single weekend and holiday, and 70 or 80 or more (sometimes much more) hours a week (not bragging or whining, just stating facts).
I don’t miss bureaucracy, iron grip control by Finance, woefully inadequate reward for good and great performance, political infighting, slow and laborious decision-making, too many layers, and all too frequent sycophantic, brown nosing, managing up behavior. Particularly among executives and senior leaders, there's not enough humility (and way too much arrogance), vulnerability (show emotion, admit when you're wrong) or servant leadership (instead of self-serving behavior).