It goes without saying that a lot of people on this site are negative to Cisco (myself included). That being said why didn't any of us Debbie downers try harder while at Cisco to get into a leadership role and change things for the better? The ELT team is a PoS but we can't deny the fact they put forth the effort to land those cush roles whether they were qualified or not. Not supporting the mgmt or ELT at all. Just think that if people put as much effort into landing a leadership role that matters as they do biatching on this site change would be made.
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When I was younger I assumed that I just didn't know something. What appeared to be management blunders must be some great strategy I just didn't understand. Now I'm old and realized I was right in the first place. It was stupid management. So to answer the question. Even if you are an Olympic rower your just going into the rocks faster with an id–t steering. Got to know when to cut your losses and trust your gut.
Cisco is rotten like Gotham. Even Batman cannot save it
If you're NOT brown enough, you won't get a chance since there are too much conspiring/favoritism/nepotism that they will protect each other to rise the ranks.
Take a look at who's on the ethics mailer, do you think your case gets heard?
Up to a point, one just figured out how to do minimal and move on.
If the original poster actually worked at Cisco, he/she would realize the moving up the ranks is very hard, and a popularity contest. It's not good enough to do the job of the grade above you (which I did for 10 years)......you have to be personal, good friends with every mgr and Dir in your dept......then you "might" get a promotion.
Most of us visiting this site are just looking for answers. Cisco gives zero explanation when a LR hits.....you have very little idea who (or whom) you made enemies with that put your name on the list. Sure it starts with folks with higher salaries getting targeted, but most, like myself, EARNED that salary. I wasn't overpaid for my position....not even close, but I made more than others in the group, but I also had WAY more experience and skills. But I was older and Caucasian....a perfect target.
I slowly pieced together what happened to me, via this page and talking to former coworkers, but still don't have the true story. That's why it's so frustrating and folks on this page get angry. Most people were good, hard workers who had devoted themselves to Cisco....only to get shafted. If you have never experienced it, you will never fully understand. And that goes double for any mgr/Dir who "thinks" they understand because they had to layoff people.....NOPE, you don't qualify for any sympathy unless you gave your LR people the full story (I know, I know.....they get locked down by NDA/etc.....still slimy).
See, and that bit about doing the work of a higher grade really stands out to me. I don't think I was supposed to be managing a global team with 35 direct reports, responsible for the daily operations and operational reporting, directing their contingent workforce suppliers, and balancing their invoices as a grade 6 representative. Not even titled as a Manager or a Lead, just a Representative. I was staying up for meetings until 2am and getting up for more meetings at 6am. That's a f—g lot for just a grade 6. I think a lot of these managers and directors aren't using their workers fairly.
One of the reasons I got out of mgt at Cisco relate to the comment from the poster doing the work of a grade 13 when only being a 12.
This is the philosophy at Cisco: Have people to the work of a higher grade while keeping them at the lower grade / pay until they show they can do the job. This is unethical and just being cheap.
Every other company I managed at was the exact opposite. It was my job as a manager and leader to select a person I knew could do the job and then promote them & give them a raise to match the job I gave them.
Cisco’s approach shows the company is cheap and managers are incompetent.
I was grade 12 and was covering a grade 13 role, all the responsibilities but not they pay. Anyway, I was asked to do some things I wasn’t comfortable with by senior management. I pushed back and I on the exit ramp. That’s why there’s no point pushing to go higher, you’ve either change or get pushed out. 2 years almost out now, earning more at a much better company. I’m 53 in EMEA, there is a life after Cisco.
From my experience, the higher up the organisation you went, the more dysfunctional it became. The politics and toxic culture made it even less possible to make change.
I came to Cisco with 15 years of mgt (up to director level) experience at some other well respected tech companies and a recent MS degree from Stanford. After looking around at my fellow managers snd their lack of leadership ability, I moved to a grade 10 IC role with the same salary and a lot less stress.
I realized there was no way I could change anything for the better so opted to spend the next 15 years “leading” global supply chain teams. Some of my managers told me I was a sandbagger but many appreciated how I used my leadership skills in an IC role to help teams be successful .
Bottom line - I was a happy employee who was a good contributor. And now I’m a happy employee leaving with my ER package to move on to my next stage in life.
I think most people here are not Debbie Downers. They have poured their lives into Cisco and have been extremely engaged with the company and their roles, and they WERE making things better. They were busy making Cisco "the bridge to possible" and totally rocking it. They only came here to find answers, since leadership is so frustratingly quiet, and there's not exactly a water cooler to chat around anymore.
As a side note, I think it's out of touch to tell people in innovative specialist roles at Cisco that "tHeY sHoUlD hAvE mOvEd InTo A mAnAgEmEnT pOsItIoN" to prevent their demise. They were doing exactly what they were supposed to do and had the rug pulled out from under them. With all the fancy check-in distractions with celebrities and calls to social justice, they didn't realize leadership was in such dire straits until now. Hindsight 20/20.