Thread regarding ExxonMobil Corp. layoffs

The comment that he defends his team is total BS. It is a zero sum game. He should go in trying to be fair to everyone not just his team. If he elevated his team at the expense of others he that is wrong. I’ve seen his type. Usually afraid to have to be the one to deliver bad news to their direct reports is the same type who only tells management good news and withholds truth. He is the problem. Totally unacceptable to say and behave as he does.

Isn't UIT in EMIT? I attended my EMIT functional AMA recently, only because I have soft spot for some US and EU colleagues who have been so kind to us in AP and they were well-loved for many years. I didn't need any more answers from management, all these is getting tired. But it's the rare, one of the last occasions that I get to see my beloved colleagues on Zoom before they retire/ I resign. In our session there was only 2-3 PC questions about PDS and career. Someone brought up attrition and it was answered in the way that management knows it's bad but well we can only do what we've already done, and everything else is out of our hands. We had a rather upbeat AMA, like the situation is foregone conclusion, so let's just enjoy the last hurrah. People weren't even angry or concerned anymore. We've given up... LOL

@vzo+1d5PFL82 has nailed it. The higher up you go in the company, the more you’re likely to quietly agree with everyone else and parrot the statements made by the upper levels. I believe privately most of the senior management share their employees’ sentiments, but publicly they will likely never say it.

@vzo+1d5PFL82
Very true. Remember the oversized “cultural fit” component of the layoffs? I was a victim of that (upper 1/3 performer) because I was not afraid to go 3 levels up and call them on issues the company has.

In similar sessions, I have heard (more than twice now) that VPs and higher have communicated to Dallas the negative effect of the predefined, high number of NSIs year after year.

But Dallas does not seem to respond.

Assuming this is true (I have great doubts on whether managers communicate openly upwards), the only logical conclusions are (a) this is too low in the Dallas priorities to do something or (b) Dallas - DW actually - too arrogant to admit error, or, (c) Dallas is satisfied with NSIs because they accomplish what they were supposed to do - headcount reduction. The last of course has been denied.

So, either Dallas lies or upper middle management does(when they say the communicate truthfully).

They know how broken everything is, but they won’t jeopardize their own careers by speaking up to the bosses above them. And most of us won’t push hard for change because we too fear for our careers. We let it all loose out here anonymously. The culture of EM will not change until we have a CEO that makes it a priority. But the long term orientation, we stay steady and ride out the storms, means we are all watching the company swirl the toilet bowl powerless to do anything about it. Sure hope any future merger works out well for us.

I attended the UIT AMA today and everything OP said resonates with me. It is incredible to me how truly oblivious management is to the real problems before us. They live in a bubble. At one point I really questioned whether they were faking or if they genuinely believe the things they said. Sadly I think its the latter. Not to say that the former is the better alternative but it is still very disheartening to see how incompetent and out of touch our so called "Leaders" are.

@kjw+1d5PFL82 That sounds like everyone is from the US. I heard when GSCs are being ranked, they get very nasty. Also heard that Brazilians would normally team and gang up on people from other GSCs they want to attack or even resort to using dramas. There were rumors that Pat D favored them a lot and that's why you got highly ranked Brazilians being sent as expats everywhere. At one point, there were more than 100 Brazilian expats in the US, a lot of them got naturalized.

There are 3 stages in the PDS process by the small set of high-level managers.
The full list of competitors is provided with position/location and top achievement 3 details. A few code symbols also with glossary.
Reviewed for 15 minutes over snacks over an oblong table.

• Hour 1: Favorites are defined. Simply by name but usually with a reason. Anything from step-out program savior to snappy dresser. Little debate. Favorites and all.
• Hours 2-4: This includes lunch, so fragmented. All debate based on a pre-populated Risk Assessment Matrix (same old style) with a few dimensions. A dot represents each competitor. The algorithm for the chart is proprietary, but I'm told it's from Arthur Anderson or somebody. This is the big chop phase, but all pretty much pre-decided. Charts don't lie.
• Hour 5-6. Dart Board. Those competitors clinging or hanging on one edge of career pattern are assigned to 2-person teams and individualized feather-tipped darts for each of them. For many competitors, this is the most attention they have ever had.

Then fizzy drinks all around.

How do these people remain our leaders when they can't see or choose to blatantly ignore what's going on around them?

Easy answer is the system works for them. What's broken for you or me is not broken or not so broken for them. They sometimes do enjoy trodding on you me occasionally too.

Also these kind of AMAs are more like propagandistic events than wanting to transparency with you. AMAs on Reddit are like that. And most of them are moderated by the community, because they have respect for the person doing the AMA. What kind of AMAs are these when the person doing it wanting to know who you are with one of the purposes is to retaliate back?

Bottom line is they do not have to care about you or me. For them, the only thing they need to care is people above them, that's where brown nosing comes from. You can still choose to continue to serve their egos by staying, or instead refuse to participate by leaving.

It's your choice whether it's a blue pill or a red pill, you will have to make it. Let me also remind you that it's the blue pill you're taking now everyday.