Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

Passive-Aggressive Work Culture

For me, working at Cisco was like reliving my childhood and early adulthood under toxic passive-aggressive parents.

This work culture is like a dysfunctional extended family that, for the most part, can't really stand each other. Constant threats that "the family" will be broken up. But until then, children, please work hard to make things work. We care about you. Right.

It's like parents telling their children, every six months, that the parents might divorce, so be ready kids. Then they don't after all, just to go through the same cycle every six months. It's not your fault, but you are along for the ride, so smile during birthday parties and family dinners with the relatives.

In the end, their eventually is the divorce, but it might take two or three years of this "all is well" fake cycle. During that time, the kids (in this case the general employee population) are left wondering why they themselves are causing the parents to talk about breaking up the family; so all sorts of over-compensating BS coping behaviors develop. Cisco's version of those coping behaviors are the leadership pushing all these community "causes" themes and projects on everyone. Smile kids, Mom and Dad love you; until they really don't want you around anymore.

Once I grew up twice, literally once after my parents divorce, and once after being the LR pawn, I have hopefully finally realized to keep away from being under the reign of passive-aggressive people attempting to control the lives of others.

They will destroy your soul if you let them.

Get away. Money and/or unhappiness is not worth it.

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Post ID: @OP+1ezMyPYt

10 replies (most recent on top)

Perfect analogy of what life is like at Cisco.

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Post ID: @1wjf+1ezMyPYt

Post from TheLayoff.com

Whoever wrote this... you must work in my segment. RM and OD are cronies and OD is super long in the tooth and essentially useless with his minion business analysts laughing at and encouraging his attempts at humor. His AVP is clueless as to these behaviors and mass attrition in the ranks and/or doesn't want to acknowledge the dysfunction or take action.

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Post ID: @1fvi+1ezMyPYt

@1pdm+1ezMyPYt Not true. There was never home grown Innovation. It was all acquisitions.

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Post ID: @1qqa+1ezMyPYt

Cisco hasn't actually has any real leadership since the late 90s. Everyone else just showed up and lived off of the innovation from that crew.

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Post ID: @1pdm+1ezMyPYt

The sad part for me is that Cisco doesn't have to be that way.

There are still enough assets in the company that if leadership decided to get together and said - enough is enough, we're not going to live like this anymore - and told the truth and stood their ground and for heaven's sake - stopped laying people off every 6 months and pretending it doesn't decimate the company and moral each time... It might be enough to change the culture.

One person can make a difference. A group of people can make a big difference. And all of us together - could change this company in a few months if we buckled in and decided how we were going to change it.

Here's an idea: Refuse to lay off any of your team next time the LR's come around. Just say no. These are Cisco family. You believe in Cisco family don't you? Then NO. We're not laying anyone off. Find another way to fix your budget.

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Post ID: @1nru+1ezMyPYt

OP has some serious personal issues and not using this time off to recharge. Cisco will be hitting $70 soon, it’s so exciting!

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Post ID: @1gkr+1ezMyPYt

This describes the sales culture in our area. From the AVP, to the OD, to the RM, all operate this way. It is pathetic. The AVP is full of complete arrogance. Our OD is a total joke. RM is unable to actually lead our team and is only in his role cause he is buddies with the OD.

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Post ID: @cih+1ezMyPYt

60,000 strong Cisco employee do not think so

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Post ID: @rsx+1ezMyPYt

Bingo...

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Post ID: @jys+1ezMyPYt

This post is spot on, well said

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Post ID: @fvn+1ezMyPYt

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