Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Another chimp taking someone's reply and posting as a new thread. Very Cisco.

This is why the right wing developed everything from the Powell Memo to Project 2025. It's a recognition people are lazy and stupid and the only way to keep them producing is to keep them near poverty with the threat of far worse. The irony is its the poorest who voted to make things this way, but luckily people like me who raised ourselves by our bootstraps to the investor class will wisely take all the value you create. Enjoy paying tariffs on what you buy while my investments grow tax free!

For the record, I did the opposite of OP's list which is why I was able to retire two decades early. I've also seen high level people who followed OP's advice selling paint at the Home Depot. May all be rewarded according to their choices.

Most important, fill your calendar with hourly meetings 8:30am to 5:00 pm every day of your free time week. This way you are always in a “calendar meeting” and busy in WebEx and no one can get any meeting added to disturb your peace, and golfing. Only allow meetings at 8:00 am that makes others to make it hard, and for you to look super busy and important. This way no one ever knows you’re available in Webex, and always working. I have seen this work and is very effective.

This is very valid. The key also is to max out your 401k while at Cisco, and Roth. Sell your RSUs ongoing and use proceeds to put into Roth. In Roth, stick with index funds.

When you hit 55, there is a "Rule of 55"; where you can start annuitizing your 401k without paying a penalty for taking money our before age 59.5.

Talk to a tax advisor on the above, and even if you leave just over 55; you can get a much less drama-laden job if you need extra pocket change here and there. After given the package four years ago, I slowly started to pull from my 401k per above; and switched over working a part-time job (to pay for vacations and travel).

I am so thankful for my time at Cisco. If you are a long-termer, indeed the package can be a lifechanging event. I miss my colleagues, but do not miss the drama, endless mostly worthless webex call after webex call; but mostly do not miss the political "look at me, I'm important" posturing, especially by people that should NOT be in positions of management. Getting away from that garbage behavior was life changing, I no longer am teathered to the garbage behaviors and have my freedom back.

A prediction on high drama: the current NVIDIA and Cisco partnership. I bet it will be somewhat successful, but get ready for person after person integrating this future into powerpoints, meetings, and all types of propaganda. It will be enough to make your skull explode, especially if things take off. You will also see every executive and manager weaving in their importance to their group charter to this vision, and you will conform to the messaging also. I've left, and from what I have heard, layoffs are on hold (not sure about that; from the outside). If so, get ready for the same cult messaging over and over again, and listening to long rambling calls by those up the chain selling the snake-oil, so they can tank up on additional RSUs...because they are important players in all this!

Twenty-plus years ago I was an Admin to a Director in the WW Channels org. He regularly spent many afternoons on the golf course in his local hometown while I held down the fort in the office. When we went to Las Vegas for Partner Summit in 2003, during which I supported a VP, my Director spent his time in the casino(s) and laying by the pool. He left the company years ago.

Hard work gets you.... more hard work. Smash your goal via working every hour and you then get a bigger goal next fiscal or even more work with less resources. To what end ultimately? We worked liked this at Cisco for years, but we've got smart these days. Hard work gets you nuthin'. Quiet quitting is the way.

ALSO DO NOT INSTALL COMPANY RELATED APPS IN YOUR PHONE.

Keep your webex status private.

The list above describes one of my coworkers. We are a small team and individual outputs are noticeable.