Thread regarding ExxonMobil Corp. layoffs

why the culture is toxic, why impossible to make any progress

And why people are leaving

Suppose you solve an important problem yourself, you will not get anything nor help you anything in your career, because everyone is thinking “what is this in me?”, and they will blemish your work or criticize when you are not around, since they are afraid that you will outshine them.

If you identify an important problem and share with people, those project leaders will hurrily come over to offer their “help”. Of course, they do not have any technical inputs and the only thing they can do is to delegate other people or their “friend” to help. And they will keep it away from you so that they can claim the credit. Remember, asking a question is more important than solving it, and the person asking the question is often the best person to solve it, or know where to find help. So eventually, a temporary solution or easy fix will be found, and “victory” will be claimed so that the projector leaders can move on.

You cannot work on the problem again or say anything because it is claimed done. An so the opportunity is ruined, and over and over again.

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Post ID: @OP+1fk8SjZ7

4 replies (most recent on top)

Yes, agree. Forced ranking is the root cause. Just want to share some consequences, in case some new hires here who don’t know, or still have dreams. All hard lessons. Technical is a dead end in the company. Don’t choose technical path in your career discussion even you want to, because you are disclaiming yourself valueless in the room of managers….

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Post ID: @hvy+1fk8SjZ7

Taking an innovation risk is rare when there is the possibility of bad ranking in case of failure.

Very little career upside to innovation.

Also very likely that if innovation is successful, more than 1 other person will claim credit for your success.

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Post ID: @ore+1fk8SjZ7

Root cause is forced ranking.

A team of 10 people, under forced ranking, will never act cohesively.

Same team of 10, ranked on how well they worked together with possibility to all 10 achieve high ranking, will perform much differently.

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Post ID: @imz+1fk8SjZ7

It’s crazy how little our company values creativity and problem solving. They like people that are busy.

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Post ID: @mme+1fk8SjZ7

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