While Verizon has a long history of failed execution from go90, aol, yahoo, hum, finance transformation, VGS, blue jeans, plus play, and even something as simple as RTO - Verizon does succeed at empty catch phrases. Better matters! Change energizes us! Go beyond! I’m anxious to learn what catch phrase our overlords will rally us around next.
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We are an "AND" company. aka: We have no idea if we are going to be able to accomplish what we need to without the headcount we just eliminated, so everybody needs to embrace that, do your job and theirs, and trust a leadership team that has proven nothing but failure.
@OP Last place is the new first place.
@a2 Sure, but what catchphrases do you think will be used in 2026!
One other phrase i hear in VGS leadership is "Change the Engine while the flight is running" ...i was like may Send your family on that flight and have the engine changed - am sure they wudnt - when they cannot do it for their own why prescribe it to others
We never stop working for you!
Quick heads up, I have a hard stop at the top of the house. Also, to be transparent, I don't currently have the bandwidth to see how the sausage is made, but if you can take the highlights and share my action items, I'll get to work right away breaking down the silos to reduce churn and get buy-in. In 2026 we'll deep dive into our new core competencies. Let's think outside the box, but no need to reinvent the wheel. Gotta go, but let's touch base later. I ❤️ touching base
@a2 I'd up-vote this a hundred times if I could!
Why, this calls for a visit from professional super hero Action Item!
https://professionalsuperhero.com/
“Your best was good enough for today, tomorrow you will do better”.
Has to be A.I reply
@as we don't question anyone.
word salad
I’ve often wondered why Verizon was so hellbent on promoting people who were wet behind the ears when they had seasoned pros who could do a much better job. It seemed so counterproductive but the proverbial lightbulb went off while reading this thread.
More experienced people have wised up. They will question the higher up’s strategy if it’s flawed or doomed to fail and they won’t buy the empty slogans.
“Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise"
It's all just empty phrases really. They have words to thank for their positions. All of them lost sight awhile ago and could never get it back yet it was so simple. It was starring them right in the face.
Shankar’s favorite: “Get comfortable with the uncomfortable”. He never said that he heard it somewhere else but always liked to use this in leadership meetings as if it was his idea.
Time for him to experience it!
Namaste
Good run down! A couple more catch phrases:
Secret Sauce
And I heard many of the Senior Directors and VPs always end their "motivational" speeches with "Finish Strong".
Lowell "there's always a higher gear" McAdams
The other great statements were - "there's more work to get done" and "more to come on that in the coming months"
Vz is anchored in the past. Can you hear me now ?
They burned all good ideas and could not make a buck on golden opportunities.
@a4. You know that a2 was being ironic yes?
OPs post reminds me of my first few months in Verizon. New year rolls around some time 2010 and out comes out of these little platitudes, let's say it was "Change Matters". The colleague next to me is an old chap from pre MCI days (real "printing emails" level of a chap). He dives into a file flicking thro paper and he pulls out the catch phrase for 1997... "change matters".
It was a real wizard of oz moment for me and it's been downhill ever since
@a2. Made me physically wretch, thanks! "reach out" is one that friends outside of American corporate always pull me up on
@a2 What a bunch of cr-pola. So glad I am away from all the hype. Good riddance Vz and good luck to those that try to rally for hundredth time.
As we circle back to the office in 2026 with a hybrid mindset, it’s time to lean in, hit the ground running, and double-click on our key deliverables to drive impactful synergies across the organization. Let’s align on our north star vision, move the needle with low-hanging fruit initiatives, and operationalize best practices to ensure we’re all rowing in the same direction. By thinking outside the box, peeling the onion on pain points, and cascading actionable insights downstream, we can pivot proactively, close the loop on pending items, and ultimately achieve exponential growth while maintaining work-life integration in this new normal paradigm shift.