Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Secure Analytics is still a thing, however, it barely survives. In true Cisco fashion, (post acquisition) the once high performing teams were sliced and diced through RA's and repeated unecessary re-orgs. Once that started, all of the real talent bailed out and after that, inept Cisco leadership teams took over and destroyed the rest of it. Remnants of it survive today run like the rest of Cisco underperforming teams in a legacy model of neglect.

@2jei+1qJTWBIs
Indians fabricate their qualifications.

Who cares. Easy to evade the HR and interview screenings. Do I have to tell you a second time to get back in line!

Indians fabricate their qualifications.

I think this is the way to say "yes, layoffs are coming". What else can they say?

Anyone notice Tom using his hands a bit too much anytime he on video ? What has he done since he got here ? Let me guess - nothing. Keep hiring id--ts and this is where we land. Another JP hire just like Shaila. Nepotism needs to stop jfc

Not just Cisco. Sadly, most of Tech companies.

Post ID: @2lwl+1qJTWBIs
There is no escape. Cisco is assimilated.

https://www.thelayoff.com/post/@5jgv+1qE5HFw8
https://www.thelayoff.com/post/@1jcj+1qydMMMO
https://www.thelayoff.com/post/@2jgw+1qydMMMO
https://www.thelayoff.com/post/@hcg+1qx4HKN9
https://www.thelayoff.com/post/@2adt+1qx4HKN9

While we have 1 leader for Security and Collab, we have 3 managers/directiors doing 1 job. Reminds me of the Office episode where Jim and Michael were co-managers (2 people doing 1 person's job). Flatten the layers

@1mda+1qJTWBIs Cisco has one CEO for more than just two disparate areas.

@1mda+1qJTWBIs Totally agree. Splitting them in to separate BUs makes a ton of sense. I’d hope they would keep the management levels flat, but this is Cisco we’re talking about here.

Collaboration and Security have nothing in common, two different markets. It’s like Zoom and PAN being managed by the same CEO.

Curiosity question: Is Secure Analytics still a product, or have they died out by now?

Remember when Fran and Chuck kept saying "One Cisco... Many Careers"? How many of the folks that got LR'd over the past year have been able to actually find work within Cisco. "Hello Mr. Grade 12. I am sorry we have to let you go because we have made some bad strategic decisions. But don't you worry. We have a ton of Grade 10 positions available for you to apply for doing the same job at a lower pay. You can apply for them in the internal hiring tool but don't be surprised if you get rejected without a review or discussion because there was already someone selected for the role before it was even opened."

@1khk+1qJTWBIs And neither should be led by jp

Collab and Security should be separate and have separate leadership.

Had it ready and actively applying. Luckily, I didn't drink the Cisco Kool aid. In fact, this experience has given me a bad taste of everything big tech.

You know when bad news is coming, they push the all-hands and/or “Beats” out due to SLT “scheduling conflicts”.

AI is the future. Look at how easy it is to craft a message for the next all hands:

Dear [Team/Staff],I hope this message finds you well. As we navigate the exciting journey ahead, I wanted to draw an analogy to our teamwork – akin to riding in a clown car.Just like in a clown car, where every occupant plays a vital role in creating a spectacle of joy, each member of our team contributes uniquely to our success. The synergy and camaraderie we share make our journey together not only efficient but also enjoyable.Let's continue to bring our individual strengths to the forefront, creating a workplace where collaboration and laughter go hand in hand. Your dedication and enthusiasm contribute to the vibrant spirit of our team.Wishing us all a delightful and successful ride together!Best regards, [Your Name] CEO

Expecting anything in bangalore or mx to save the company was the a huge, unforced error. The staffing model and level of competence is not consistently acceptable, let alone consistent enough that customers want or should have to pay for it. They having nothing really in the AI space other than a bunch of scripts and lip service from the ELT. It just adds to how bad this has gotten. Yet, chucky and the dei crew seem to think that checking boxes, filing H1Bs, and having company coming out parties is a successful business model when it's really closer to a social engineering model funded by what customers are left.

I honestly can't tell a difference between a con artist and the "leaders" present during the All-Hands today.

They see us as disposable slaves.

In a successful company, with competent leadership, All Hands are used to celebrate team successes and align individual contributors to the leadership's execution priorities.

It's no surprise why All Hands are Cisco are demoralizing. The leadership talks about themselves, team successes are extremely rare, and execution priorities are ignored in order to hype the latest buzz word.

Not important enough, not in the elite; dreams of business class, but stuck in my seat.

Invisible worker, unnoticed, it seems, Yearning for recognition, in unfulfilled dreams.

It was hilarious how jeetu led with how much travel he has had lately, seeing people in Davos etc. Meanwhile all of us poors are not allowed to travel. 😂

Post from TheLayoff.com

Nobody asks why they bring it up because it's kinda obvious. It was just a shocker. You need to go back and learn how to read English

Yet another ship that has set sail without Cisco aboard due to management [leadership] incompetence.

FTFY. The pigeonhole principle goes back to 1624, is taught at the very beginning of your first Introduction to Computational Theory course, and for a number of cases is a wonderful way to prove when part of a system won't scale. Cisco has a lot of Principal Software Engineers who neither know this principle nor can they grasp it when explained.

This is one of so many first principles taught in undergraduate "introduction to" courses that Cisco's technical leadership neither knows nor wants to know. At a well run company this would be a sign that someone isn't ready to be an Engineer 1 where you begin to refine your understanding and application of a wide range of first principles for the rest of your career.

How dare they brought up India investment strategy

@sra+1qJTWBIs , I don't know how long you have been working for Cisco. Any ways, if they talked about "India investment strategy", then it means only one thing. What it means is that your product is going into maintenance mode.

Decisions draped in the cloak of self-interest, A corporate ballet, where others are suppressed. The symphony of collaboration silenced by the solo, A narcissistic overture in the business tableau.In the echo of achievements, a relentless beat, Validation sought, in the throne of the elite. But the tapestry woven in the office air, Bears threads of arrogance, a burdensome affair.

Mgmt has been told to keep quiet on the subject of WFR until it's announced on the Feb. 14 earnings call.

Back in 2001, the company's first layoff was announced 4 months in advance by the then SVP of HR with an exact date it would happen. That four month wait was torture and It had a detrimental effect on morale and productivity amongst all employees. Then CEO JC was so unhappy with how it was handled he fired the SVP of HR shortly after.

Most of the intelligence I have dealt with at Cisco over the last 15 years has been artificial.

@tah+1qJTWBIs i don’t believe that for a second. if a company can announce LRs last year in a check in and then say you’ll be notified in a few weeks if you are impacted or not then they can be honest if ones are coming. ELT is just telling leadership not to answer the questions because it will cause company wide mass panic and people aren’t going to want to work at all knowing what is coming.

You're not very smart if you think they're going to directly answer a question like that in an all hands. Are you a child? God I hope they LR your useless a-s.

@tpl+1qJTWBIs well said.

Cisco is utterly irrelevant in the world of AI. Yet another ship that has set sail without Cisco aboard due to management incompetence. Leadership is rudderless and clueless, Cisco is a follower and not a leader.

This is what happens when you have a CEO with a Narcissistic Personality Disorder

There is no AI at Cisco.

I bet Jeetu has zero idea about what AI means and how to use it for security.

“You are not valuable to Cisco unless you do AI.” - Geetu.

There’s no AI at Cisco.

Same thing happened on the CX all hands this morning, except they skipped Q&A altogether. Packed the agenda with BS and fireside chats. They knew the questions were coming, so they didn’t even provide a forum to ask so that they wouldn’t have to dance around it.