Alliant Techsystems – “Spy vs. Spy”

Pros

Pride by association: working in the defense industry (integral to the world's stability) and supporting executives who used to be military leaders. Fabulous benefits. Wonderful co-workers at the management/executive level. Good pay. Stability. Education opportunities funded by the company. Employee reward programs. Exceptional employee stock purchase program.

Cons

Management incompetence, infighting &/or turnover (you'd lose a really good boss and then be assigned a jerk). Senior leaders who may have been competent in the military but don't know how to treat "real" people. Favoritism. No 360 feedback for staff-level, resulting in some co-workers who were lazy or incompetent because they felt "set for life."

Advice to Senior Management

Work together, not against one another. So much backstabbing, competitiveness, pettiness was immature.