We Need Strong Leaders, So We Can Save Money and Work Better

I don't have any inside information about layoffs, or comforting words for my friends who have been let go. I am saddened each day I go to work and see the empty desks and hear about more friends who have been let go. I also know our leaders have to make hard decisions and I'm sure they don't take it lightly when these decisions have to be made. We as a company do need to make changes, but I'm worried the direction from our leadership teams are so blurry once it trickles down, that lower level leaders are confused and miss-interpret it or ignore it completely, and do as they please.

What I do know is that people, no matter their age, race, or gender will not be productive if there is constant threat of losing their job. And when we have to come to sites like this to get any news about what's happening in our own company, even though we preach that we are "transparent". Instead we act like the wizard of oz, "pay no attention to what's behind the curtain" but we see it. I had a leader tell me that we need to keep our heads down, do our work, and stop gossiping and talking rumors, my thought, I wouldn't have to gossip and listen to rumors if we truly were transparent. We all want the company to be as efficient as possible, and understand the logic behind sliming the workforce... BUT when we hear leadership say one thing, but actions are completely opposite it worries us! (And makes me a bit mad as well) We worry, because what it shows is weak leadership, and leaders only caring about their own agendas and not what is best for the overall company. This is evident with the constant shift in priorities with each new leader, and leaders change often. We pride ourselves on be agile, but this agility is a killing our associates and fuels waste, wasted time, wasted money, and wasted resources. This has so many downstream effects, not to mention frustration with the people who poured their sweat, blood, and tears into the work to never see if finished only because the new leader doesn't truely understand what it was and only cares about making their "mark" on something. And in most cases, what they want to do has been started at some point before!

People NEED to be lead, not someone holding their hand, but a strong Leader to guide and give direction. Our leaders have to start giving clear, simple, consistent direction that aligns to what the goals and direction that is coming from our leader ship teams. We have to stop asking our associates to "manage up" that's just an excuse for a weak leader.. Direction needs to comes from the top down, not bottom up, the leaders know what direction the "ship" needs to go.

Let's not forget what got us here, Mr Sam kept it simple and clear, and was a strong leader. We conqured brick and mortar in the US, and can conquer digital as well. We need to keep it simple, clear, and have strong leaders keeping us straight. We have tons of talented associates that can simplify and conquer anything! Leaders, point us in the right direction and we can get there, Be strong, be consistent, and for "Sam's sake", let's think about the customer in every decision you make!

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You are right. Strong leadership is very much lacking. Managers allow an associate to posion their view concerning other associates, If they did their jobs they wouldnt depende solely on hearsay. One associate dont like the other associate and the manager refuse to take time to manage his team. If he did then he should know first hand of all his team members capabilities. But he allows one associate to manage up. Hes not capable of doing his job but making big figure dollars. Looks like he's the weak link. Señor managers need to micro manager there weak links called managers. Or maybe the senior managers are just as weak as tve managers. They all apparently need leadership skills. Reorg your management while you at it. Since your layoffs are suppose to based solely on reorg. Call it what you may but it sounds like innocent people were targeted Walmart. Inside job salvataged.

I've worked for leaders in several industries, including Walmart. Walmart is a strange kind of mess, and the best thing that could have happened to me was being part of a Home Office lay-off. Walmart has bizarre CULTure where the stated values are a joke. I was amazed at the obvious low level IQ at Director level and above, the duplicity, and back stabbing. The old-timers and their worship of Sam Walton is the saddest part. The big ship is going to sink. It will take a very long time, the Walton clan will take every last resource for themselves before they jump ship like the rats they are.

Walmart abuses employees by burning them out and as a result the associates are prone to a myriad of health problems due to overwhelming stress - especially the older long term ones

WM response is then to unceremoniously fire them at first opportunity to be replaced by younger cheaper labor

Still believe WM is family?

So it took a $3.3 billion purchase of Jet.com to figure out 2 day shipping to customers and the Amazon's prices are cheaper than brick and mortar Wal-Mart stores? Now thanks to the Internet and 2 day shipping rural customers no longer have to depend on cheap quality goods at Wal-Mart stores and can price compare and quality for money compare.

Wal-Mart wouldn't be in it's mess if the bean counters treated the employees like Southwest and purchasing bean counter did a value for quality (like Target) instead of the just the lowest price with poor quality. It was only a matter of time when Sam passed that management would treat employee HR like sourcing cheap t-shirts (dump old expensive employees for new cheap ones or just over work them - I mean where else are going to work in NW Arkansas).

Good one:

Wal-Mart cut the checks, but Walton also summoned the employees at a major cluster of his stores to a meeting. "I'll fire anyone who cashes the check," he told them."

What a hater

Anyone who thinks our so called leaders give a damn about them or their job is completely self deluded. Put the Kool aid down folks.

They don't care. I'm sick to death of them insulting the divinely established institution of the family by referencing their b---s--- as "family time".

If you are not a bobble headed Indian willing to s--- up to them for whatever pittance you may receive, you are on the short list.

My only hope is that Trump puts a stop to the H1B abuses which are rampant in this place.

I'm not familiar with that story, but do know that when I was working in the stores our bonus wasn't given to us automatically like today. It was based on your evaluation rating , and a portion of your pay was withheld to cover your bonus. In other words it wasn't a bonus just your pay that you were due. Once field management figured that out Sam had to "make it right". He wasn't a saint, but he was a great leader and ended up doing the right thing.

Mr Sam passed away on April 5th, 1992. Since then, the company has never been the same. I have asked many associates that met Mr Sam and worked at the company before and after his passing. They say Mr Sam would not even recognize his company and would be rolling in his grave over everything that has happened since his passing.

I resent the fact that leadership starts pulling out Mr Sam quotes and speeches when they want to inspire and motivate us. Don't worry about the carnage going on over 'there' and just focus on your job over 'here.' His business practices are long dead. 10 foot rule? Sundown rule? Respect for the individual?

Was Wal-Mart great at one time? Yes? Are they now? No. Can they be again? Yes. With the right leadership, people and long-term goals.

Right now, our leaders are steering a rudderless ship and we're heading toward that iceberg. Can they change course? Only time will tell.

P.S. The following anecdote about Mr Sam has always stuck with me and tells me he was no saint. This is who Mr Sam was to me:

"Around the time that the young Sam Walton opened his first stores, John Kennedy redeemed a presidential campaign promise by persuading Congress to extend the minimum wage to retail workers, who had until then not been covered by the law. Congress granted an exclusion, however, to small businesses with annual sales beneath $1 million -- a figure that in 1965 it lowered to $250,000.

Walton was furious. The mechanization of agriculture had finally reached the backwaters of the Ozark Plateau, where he was opening one store after another. The men and women who had formerly worked on small farms suddenly found themselves redundant, and he could scoop them up for a song, as little as 50 cents an hour. Now the goddamn federal government was telling him he had to pay his workers the $1.15 hourly minimum. Walton's response was to divide up his stores into individual companies whose revenues did not exceed the $250,000 threshold. Eventually, though, a federal court ruled that this was simply a scheme to avoid paying the minimum wage, and he was ordered to pay his workers the accumulated sums he owed them, plus a double-time penalty thrown in for good measure.

Wal-Mart cut the checks, but Walton also summoned the employees at a major cluster of his stores to a meeting. "I'll fire anyone who cashes the check," he told them."

Thread regarding Wal-Mart Stores Inc. layoffs

We Need Strong Leaders, So We Can Save Money and Work Better

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