Why? What can be done (if anything)? How to deal with this problem? Deadwood is causing major issues to everyone, it'll criple Cisco.
23 replies (most recent on top)
On the software side the deadwood outperform the average engineer. With deadwood useful people can still create value rather than wasting the vast majority of their time fixing the damage created by the profoundly incompetent. Those who haven’t figured this out are by definition the profoundly incompetent.
Well I can't speak to zoom, other than see that pre-covid it was a niche that was out there. You didn't see it that often.
Now, post covid, everyone knows who Zoom is. Zoom is a household word now. Zoom was created, even with its faults, because Cisco leadership didn't listen.
You could argue that Chambers bought his way to #1 or #2 ok fine. but at least Cisco WAS #1 or #2 then. Now? Not.
Take Webex. It WAS #1 or #2 with Chambers. Now it isn't. Teams is ki----g webex for functionality, and Zoom is ki----g it on ease of installation and price.
Cisco used to be good with #1 or #2, now it is focused more on inclusivity than productivity. Look at that datacenter thread - perfect example of a inclusive manager being promoted for inclusivity, declining revenue, people quitting.
Look at Zoom - They were former webex people. I had no idea what Zoom was, until I was invited to a zoom meeting with a customer. My first experience with it, I thought it was webex -- and I thought Cisco just launched "yet another" collaboration project/product... and I remember thinking to my self that many of the features (especially those that were geared to be used while driving or multi-tasking) were awesome. Then I found out Zoom wasn't a new webex, but a competitor. Then I found out that they came from Cisco when Chuck's way wouldn't let them succeed.
Zoom and Webex look nothing alike. Zoom is easier to install, but there's a reason for that: insecurities left and right. After 3 yrs at Cisco using Webex and then switching companies to one that used Zoom, I was completely lost with Zoom and couldn't find the button to do this or how to do that. I hated it. Then again, the Webex UI team still hasn't found a better way other than having that stupid drop-down bar when sharing or the buttons across the bottom. Let me move them to the sides if I want to. Windows lets me move the Task bar and macOS lets me move the Dock, why can't Webex let me move their controls?!
And making it easier to use your app while driving?! That's not a publicity event I want to be associated with: My app is so easy to use while driving, people can have meetings and be distracted while operating a motor vehicle and ki-l people. Put logic in it that uses the GPS or accelerometer in mobile devices that detect motion and make the user say they're not driving before allowing the meeting to continue so the liability is on the customer and not the app maker.
69 (%), dudes!
Chambers didn't drive Cisco to be #1 or #2 in segments, he acquired his way into being #1 or #2 in switching/routing. Obtaining critical products & patents to ensure no competition.
That networking equipment acquisition success didn't translate well into anything else. In the music industry, I believe it's called a one-hit wonder.
@3kcb+1fYvnKFo Chambers setting up internal battles and devotion to MPLS is the main reason we’re in this mess. He should have been canned in 2001.
chambers, right or wrong, always drove Cisco to be #1, or #2 in its segments; there was always internal competition for the 'better' way. sure MPLS might have been good or bad, depending on how close you were (or weren't) to them. Maybe something failed, maybe it was a success - but people "tried" to innovate.
Chuck is running on an inclusive platform. Cisco doesn't have MPLS. Cisco doesn't have internal competition. Now its build your mini-empire worse than ever.
Look at Zoom - They were former webex people. I had no idea what Zoom was, until I was invited to a zoom meeting with a customer. My first experience with it, I thought it was webex -- and I thought Cisco just launched "yet another" collaboration project/product... and I remember thinking to my self that many of the features (especially those that were geared to be used while driving or multi-tasking) were awesome. Then I found out Zoom wasn't a new webex, but a competitor. Then I found out that they came from Cisco when Chuck's way wouldn't let them succeed.
Then add COVID- and Zoom in everwhere. Cisco Collab is trying to keep up with Zoom and Teams, and it can't.
its gone from be #1, or #2, and constantly innovate to... follow the pack. sad really.
The Percentage is skyrocketing. It used to be the best candidates for a manager job got the job. Now, if you're a diversity candidate, you will get the job if you aren't qualified!
The result, unqualified a-s-hats are getting raises and management jobs. They, of course, don't know how to run the business. So they demand more internal paperwork and internal meetings to justify their existence. Which makes the good sales people do more things that don't benefit their customers!
So the quality managers leave, and go else where. The quality sales people get tired of the BS and go else where, the quality SE's get tired of it and go else where too! Which leaves me stranded with new people on my account, that don't know why we bought what we bought, they have no idea about how we are evolving our business - and I get fully diverse people talking to me about cr-p that doesn't matter....
I think Cisco used to do good at trimming the dead wood yearly. Now instead of trimming the bottom 10% of performers, they run off good performers, and replace them with unqualified, but diverse, people.
About 50% is deadwood, but that's what you get when "leading from behind" as compared to "leading by example". The leading from behind style of management started to sweep through high tech American businesses about 15-20 years ago. As opposed to leading by example, it emphasizes teamwork over individual competence and individual excellence. It's a style of management that encourages and rewards deadwood. It also hides incompetent leadership decisions behind a firewall call "the team".
A large portion of engineers and management are spending more time finding excuses on why they can not deliver instead of using that energy in ways to improve product lines.
some deadwoods will be re-incarnated into super stars.
I am deeply offended by the term deadwood. Please use the more sensitive and socially correct term "productively challenged".
In our group, it's honestly about 90% right now.
Well Bob, where's my motivation? As a red badge, if I make one more widget, what do I get? I report to 5 managers, so I do just enough to not get fired.
20-30% is probably spot on. Another 60% are held back by very weak first and second line management. Then you have the remainder, who are above the norm and in places where they can show it.
All good people are poached by google, aws , oci , Salesforce, Walmart etc. What remains is deadwood in Cisco
Full-time American employees are being quietly replaced by hourly contractors and engineering is being sent to India. There's a reason Cisco sold over 30 buildings in San Jose.
Someone told me before that Cisco is about 50% contractors. Totally dysfunctional way to run a business. For the 2hr/day deadwoods guy - take it easy and have a coffee and cigarette break.
Probably 80%. Anyone with an ounce of motivation or skills left years ago. It's a bunch of politicians battling for budget to hire the cheapest contractors now.
i is dead woods work 2h in day. i asking friend team helping me. is good me no problem make
99% in CX
In sales it seems to be about 70-80 percent.
Probably 20-30%, like most companies. Doing just enough to get by, heavily reliant on the top 10% for help doing their daily functions... when they get done.