I've worked at CHK for a long time and I have to say the transformation I've seen is sad. Not necessarily for the obvious reasons, it's easy to bitch about the hypocrisy of the "Core Values" like trust or transparent communication - clearly we have a situation of "do what I say not what I do". Nor is it the substitution of meaningful work with Edge drivel, we get it, Edge is the mother ship and we should all get on board or love our mutual destruction. What really gets me down, and I would venture to say not just me but the company as a whole, is the lack of true leadership. And I don't mean departmental leadership, but the executive commitment to the idea that we are THE pioneering oil and gas company with the right people and the right skills to innovate our way out of any situation. The kind of charisma that unifies a workforce into a singular focus for success. And yes, I realize at this point the trolls have already formulated a "fu5^# you I hope this company dies you di@$" response (typically with a lot of misspellings) while the HR plebeians have begun their "As long as you just stay focused at work you have nothing to worry about" retort (typically during work hours), but that's all beside the point. The point is that leaders define success and create opportunities while inspiring their team. True leaders can't stand frozen in the face of fear when markets turn to stare them in the eye, they take control and exploit the markets for the next best opportunity. History is replete with examples of successful companies burgeoned with industry change and rarely is that success defined by a "hunker in the foxhole until the current onslaught passes" mentality.I realize you might be inclined to accuse me of being importune at this point, but I would like to bring to your attention the former leader who, 1.5 years after forced dismissal, has managed to raise $15 Billion (roughly 3X CHK's current market cap) in the face of a flailing E&P market. And you may claim that the recent market collapse obscures my judgement but I would point out that somehow Mr. McClendon has managed to acquire 55 Million acres for development in Australia as well as sign a JV deal with EIM (led by little know Vicente Fox), all in recent months. So market conditions are not an excuse for failing to grow your business, they are not an excuse for failing to find opportunity. Success is not defined by acquiescing to a contemptuous market, it is defined by re-imagining opportunity and growing your business in whatever trajectory that takes you.
And that my friends is the truth. It is the sad change from determination to hope, from innovation to stagnation, from leadership to managers. That is why we sit on this site worrying about what will come and yet week after week nothing does. We can make all the rumors and the jokes we can think of (I'm a big fan of the "clam" jokes), but that's why we continue to return. Because unfortunately in the absence of leadership committing to their own espousal of virtues we are left with guesses and rumors to formulate our best understanding of the future. Best of luck to you all!