Many different parts of the company with different leaders, so everyone has a different experience.
If you’re in retail and feel it’s a toxic culture to come work in, that’s because it is. IMO, your problem isn’t with AT&T or Randall but with Shay.
Once Roth left and the “Shay Regime” was put in place, that’s when the culture went down hill and became toxic and abusive. There’s talk of coach and develop, but it’s all rank and spank. Retail is a sales role and you are expected to hit your sales target. How you do that, no one really cares as long as your not bringing too much attention to yourself and the manner in which you do it (flip accounts, false churn, etc). If your not hitting your number, then you’re a terrible excuse for a person, and should be made to feel that way everyday, otherwise you won’t come back tomorrow “motivated” to do what’s nessacary to hit targets.
If you’re in the central region, you may not feel it as much as Fred is a great buffer to that non sense. Appreciate that and him, if you haven’t realized that yet. The west region likely misses that now.
But that won’t stop Shay from doing his market visits. I don’t know if it’s a conscious move on his part or if he’s aware that he does it at all, but he typically will find a level 1 or 2 manager that he will rip apart and be little in front of their peers and leadership team for little reason at all. Maybe it was the way a question was phrased or he just decides he doesn’t like you that day on that visit. Without ever addressing his inappropriate and unprofessional behavior, he leaves the market letting VPGM’s, AVP’s, DOS’s, ARSMs with the impression that this is how you lead and this is how you become successful at AT&T. A flywheel effect starts up and it only intensifies from there.
You may think it’s your ARSM, DOS, or VPGM and that’s where the problem is, but it’s beyond any of their territories and stretches across the markets and regions. They are likely just as miserable as you, or they are one of these new 20 something ARSM’s that don’t know any better and think this is normal for Corp America. It’s not!
This is why ENPS s---s and one part of declining numbers in retail stores. They keep trying new stuff like IHX and now pop ups, but it’s still all under Shay, and that toxic culture will infect and kill the potiental success of any of these programs.
Shay’s culture will eat and destroy the best laid plans and strategies for breakfast lunch and dinner.
The only light at the end of the tunnel is the regime seems to be winding down. His retirement can’t come soon enough for AT&T. Until then, the beatings will continue until moral improves.
Have you ever experienced a Shay market visit? Am I off base or have you seen/experienced the same thing?