Thread regarding Crown Castle International Corp. layoffs

This post is absolutely on point. If you don’t see it, you’ve likely been insulated from the reality many of us have been dealing with. Change—whether messy or not—is necessary to move forward and become a stronger, more productive company.

Some leadership roles were filled by individuals who weren’t qualified and it hurt us with lack of direction and authority to do what we needed, and it’s about time that started to shift. The former VP of strategy was widely seen as lacking the skills, experience, and any emotional maturity needed for the role (infamous outbursts or tantrums). Many witnessed it firsthand, few spoke up out of fear of retaliation. That kind of culture costs the company—financially and in morale. Today is supposed to be liberating us from that.

It’s time to bring in capable, collaborative leaders who respect their teams and help foster a culture where people can thrive. Sometimes, pruning is necessary—for people, divisions and orgs—to allow better growth to take root.

I've worked several rotations around SP over the past 12 years and it was very very rare to find any support for fiber and scn. They were always put to the bottom of the pile. Always. Not by staff, by managers. I have no problem picturing who the people are on this board that are so happy we're back to tower only. It's a shame what they were allowed to do while the EMT and BS turned a blind eye.

Crown likes to believe if the nepotism isn't in the same dept it's OK. Naive. One - it very often is. Two a majority of positions are cross functional. So if you pi-s of a Mgr in finance and their sister is running property, you suddenly find you can't get the cooperation to do ur job. It's a web throughout the company.

I agree with most of your points. The clear direction though? Our EMT has had significant turnover. Elliot jump started their way onto the BOD, then sold their shares. When was the last time Crown built a new tower. Not one that was replaced, a new new one. It's a good company the rocky road is not done.

If you want to talk about unqualified people getting hired, look no further than the Emerging Business Leaders Program. Yes, the program that gave us Jay Brown. These kids go on a glorified job shadow and then get placed into supervisor/manager roles with absolutely no experience. What a load of bullsh-t that is!

@sy+1jrknvf4w

This is probably the most well thought out thing I've seen on this board in years

As a technology company Crown failed. How can you write that a company is growing when it is selling its assets to other orgs because it failed in those categories? Crown is going back to towers only which it did ok in, but there is no growth in towers. Towers is stagnant which is why Crown got into small cell in the first place. Fiber was purchased in the hope they could control the ground support for their towers and they learned they couldn't because they weren't able get around the politics where that fiber was laid. Returning to towers only instead of restructuring their EMT and all the executives to VPs is what they need, however they chose to sell everything. This isn't growth, it's downsizing to what they know to just be stagnant.

As a REIT they are improving. They are doing what a REIT should do by getting rid of the technology and focusing on real estate. Crown tried to be a disruptor by being a REIT and Technology company. They showed they are unable to do that. They had to choose a path and they are choosing to be a REIT. With that, being towers only is the only choice, but REITs don't grow. They just collect and spend money in a way that there is profit to give to their shareholders while squeezing every penny out of their employees with low pay and lack of benefits. Look at every other REIT portfolio and you'll see this happening.

Depending on the coin's side, Crown is making a good and/or a bad decision. Everyone understands it's a business. They just didn't have to p-o all over everyone the last few years as they made their decisions for they are how a toxic organization for employees and it will take years for them to turn that around. First steps is to remove the toxic people, but how can you remove them when they are the ones in the upper leadership roles and they have the dirt to ruin careers of EMTs? Crown can't get passed that, sadly.

My favorite form of office politics was the handshake deal between hiring managers. It starts when manager A wants to hire their wife/brother/cousin but can’t. They then reach out to hiring manager B and make a deal that if manager B hires manager A’s relative/friend then they’ll return the favor. You end up with a lot of unqualified people. It happened ALL THE TIME!

As a former hiring manager I know exactly what it's like to be hiring or promoting the perfect candidate only to be told no, we're moving forward with this director's or that manager's nephew. It's a cancer. Not only did we end up with endless unqualified people it totally undermines productivity.

And then supporting that person's bad decisions and promoting them in lieu of infinitely more qualified employees. Just bad.

Using someone as a reference on a job application is different than hiring an inexperienced person because they are your friend or family member. The last ten years (maybe longer?) at Crown are filled with countless examples of unqualified family member and friends being given positions.

Have you ever heard of an employee referral program? Hiring through personal connections is absolutely part of the landscape of corporate America. Always has been. It’s everywhere.

Towers doesn’t even have a plan to succeed. The only thing they want to do is be the best for the customer and move fast. Ground breaking. I don’t think AmT has thought of that. Towers willl be worse then after this sale and no one to blame but themselves. You are 3rd for a reason.

What corporate shill posted this cr-p?! In 2020 during Covid Clown Castle ( not a typo ) laid off lots of older people only to hire most those jobs back a year later for kids half my age and price.

So this BS rant about underperformers rings hollow. It is a public traded company doing just worshipping at the alter of greed treating their employees as disposable!

Small Cell and Fiber are going to outpace any Tower only company. Crown should have stayed the course with JB.

Now you have 3 different entities.

Zayo is going to be huge once the sale completes. They are going to dominate the space.

EQT has proved itself that it has $$$..$$$$ galore and won't have the restrictions Crown had to try and grow the business...

May each business line do well and all employees enjoy where they are at and growth with each firm.

AI is the future.

Be ready.

OP is a legacy crown person, prob from SP who did as little as possible to support fiber or scn, and who is ecstatic the company is back to tower only. What a shame.

This person is delusional. Change happens everywhere, but this “change” is because of a series of terrible decisions by the EMT and board. Sure, it’s better late than never to correct course but this company is a shell of what it used to be. It took almost ten years to break it down, it’s going to be a while before it will be a respectful place to work again… if it ever does. You couldn’t be more wrong when it comes to politics. Hiring friends and family over the most qualified person never ends well. I’d bet my house you’ve been part of this circle and that’s why you’re defending it. This company has treated its employees very badly over the past several years. If you’re willing to let that slide and pretend like that never happened, then go for it. I’ll be skeptical and will not give them the benefit of the doubt they earn my trust, and it won’t be anytime soon.

Post would've been appropriate in '16/17. Fiber should've been embraced not shunned. Now we're just a stagnate company that hasn't evolved a bit in ten years.