As a manager, I was often stuck enforcing top-down decisions that made no sense, like a global return-to-office mandates for fully remote teams. I saw constant layoffs. Leadership prioritized control over outcomes, with constant pressure, unrealistic timelines, and no regard for work-life balance. There was little to no support for managers, and when things went wrong, blame rolled downhill fast. The culture was toxic, trust was nonexistent, and there were no real opportunities to grow or develop your team. Leadership talked about values, but their actions rarely matched.
