Seriously, what is our direction? What is the long-term strategy beyond cut, cut, cut?
15 replies (most recent on top)
When is SM going to be let go? That cancer needs to leave. GM better make some good decisions.
SM iis a perpetual liar who has narcissistic behaviour. Always putting others down in hopes of getting herself ahead. She should have been exited a long time ago. The opposite of a team player.
Witch is a good description. I prefer hag.
SM could identify as a witch on the broom stick. Agreed with, how have these things gone completely unnoticed by the management. I have never heard a single good thing about her, as I have also never experienced a single good thing about her myself. Feel sorry for people having to deal / work for her daily.
SM has a punchable face too.
I feel so sorry for the planning group or anyone dealing with SM. Hope management is noticing this. Toxic people like SM should have been gone long time ago.
Post below on SM from planning - nailed it!
Unfortunately I have also had dealings with the director of planning. She is a peice of work to say the least. Insane how no one recognizes her whole MO is to talk herself up and name drop all the while driving a bus over anyone possible... especially her own team. I get goals for women in leadership but come on - she is a clown.
SM direfror of planning is as toxic as they come. Its ridiculous she ia still around playing dirty politics and making hard working people mierable with her antics.
Planning bi---h SM needs to go. She is a cancer. No doubt
I have also heard so many issues with the narcissist planning head leader, pretty sure she is a director title without mentioning any direct names.
So I’ve heard that the key hires in the new downstream org have already been “determined” through putting out the feelers months ago… people from cherry point and whiting, friends of friends
Strategy is to keep creating executive positions, especially random chief or duplicate positions just because person A doesn’t like or want to work for person B - it’s important to make positions around egos instead of the work after all, hiring friends and external instead of developing internal. Create so many layers that as much time is wasted as possible because leadership is focused and rewarded only for managing up and telling stories instead of paying attention to the business and teams below them and actually leading them. Demoralize smart and hardworking people who truly care about the well being of the business in agency of running elbows with your buddies from the country club.
Make sure to commit to unattainable targets to investors, especially when your business tells you they’re not achievable. In fact, make sure to ignore the business (what do they know anyways?). Then dump on everyone when we miss 80% of our investor commitments. Make sure to fire all the workers and people who told you it was unachievable too.
Somewhere in there we’re meant to actually make and sell oil but who cares about that when we can play politics and game of thrones. Such a great strategy.
I’ve only worked at a downstream site for a year and a half. I have to say that 90% of the people I work with at Cenovus have really good intentions to do the right thing and will go out of their way to help you. I’m not from this industry, but experienced in my field. I think the organizational policies and processes are often unclear. No framework or pathway to compliance or execution. I actually think some key areas at the site are under resourced. The number of contract administrative staff is mind boggling. I think cutting that staffing level and adding some key positions as vested full time employees would go along way in achieving the cost targets faster. Another observation is that the organization leaves too many decisions to the “businesses” for agreement instead of making a case for what is best for the company. This would eliminate many things I read on here about corruption with suppliers. I really like working with my direct team. They are hardworking and very well equipped to make a big impact. However, the org structure and red tape render us useless on most days. We still fight like he-l to capture a savings , or a small win to keep us going. Meanwhile we have counterparts in Calgary that say the same thing. So you have duplicate teams and neither working within a framework to be successful. Yikes!
There should be a show and call it ‘if the 5th grader can run this place better’
Sell off retail fuel or offshore Asian exposure.
Reduce capex on long-cycle or greenfield projects to emphasize lean operations.
Spin off/sell partial refining interest.
Reduce headcounts for overlapping positions with field in Calgary.
Use FCF for debt repayment; suspend dividend/buybacks temporarily.