Look around you and you will find that > 80 % people that you know who joined management ranks were utter failures at the bench !
It has been a celebration of mediocrity, mendacity, nepotism and favoritism at Mother Mining over the last decade. This was bound to happen at some point. Covid and it's aftereffects coupled with litigations brought about an accelerated decline of this once mighty enterprise.
Perfectly said, @nem+1j3UfpL8.
For the last decade or so, PowerPoint slides have become more relevant than actual technical content or the quality of the technical work done in the lab.
If your job relares to the latter category, run like he-l from this place. There is simply no or little appreciation for good technical work these days.
The irony about 3M's current logo, Science Applied to Life, is that if you pursue a career in science or engineering in 3M , your career will take a big hit.
Almost any other career (management, legal etc) will take you much further along compared to a scientific career in 3M these days.
Is anybody surprised that the company is in a deep dark pit with no bottom in sight when the backbone of the company is totally demoralized.
Where were you when I needed you?
I couldn't find a phone booth anywhere the other day when my pager went off.
Agreed.
I left the lab and went into marketing.
In the lab, I didn't see a way to stand out, and promotions would be far between, if they ever came.
My claim to fame was implementing a robo fax machine. To demonstrate performance, I faxed every fax machine in building 280. I finally got promoted to T4 equivalent.
I presented 3 alternatives: 1) do nothing, 2) robo fax machine, 3) internet solution. My analysis clearly showed fax was superior. Looking back, my solution was not future proof.
I have been to several technical management seminars where our "leaders" talk about why they went into management.
It was very entertaining since one doesn't get to hear so much BS in one place. Typically you will hear them say ' I changed tracks because I want to empower my group', another common comment way' I want to develop self and others '. ...blah blah blah...
Not a single time I heard someone saying the truth (or even coming close to it for that matter) which is ' I am here for power and money and the quick and easy promotions'.