7y
Thank you for your advice. I mean it. I hear you, and validate your perspective, in the sense that I see why you (and others here) write what you have written. As far as your points go, let me describe how it looks from my own (no doubted limited) perspective.
Goals - Last year I did stutter-step. When I "hit the afterburner" I did not anticipate the response from our chief competitor, which hit its afterburner and took its losses to over $500 million. I had to change direction abruptly. I am sorry.
Promote based on performance, not buddy system - This is the part you will find funny: I think we do. However, I could be wrong, as I know I am not omniscient. But how do I establish a world where promotions are being given based on performance? Since I cannot know every candidate and his or her attributes, I have relied on this method since last summer: We spent some time studying various organizational structures and settled on one for us; we got the right people in the five SVP slots (and the five there now are in general the strongest we ever had); we filled out nearly every missing slot in our VP ranks with wonderful talent, people who shined in the previous assignment; I got them all gelled as a group, and then I carefully let these executives choose where to promote and where to trim expense. I am not claiming any omniscience, I am claiming that I laid out that algorithm and led them through as they followed it.
Compassion - You know, I try. I really do. But I am imperfect. I try to find ways to show compassion even in moments such as recent ones. I have been told our new method of conducting this RIF drew words of appreciation from across the board. But I am sure there were wonderful people who were hurt. I have done my best to make peoples' time with us additive for them, and to make this parting graceful and compassionate, but, as I said, I am imperfect.
