During my time at CoBank my Sr. Manager was violent, abusive and used retaliatory methods and behavior when I tried to seek help. Multiple attempts to take care of myself, home and family resulted in retaliation and abusive behavior which made it extremely difficult to ensure the safety and wellbeing of my family. Because of this I decided to leave CoBank as quickly as possible regardless of employment status.
Considering CoBank's violent past you'd think behavior like this would be unacceptable, especially at the leadership level. Unfortunately, it existed for me and was nearly impossible to tolerate. Bullying and intimidation from my Sr. Manager were part of a daily routine. All my stress from work was due to this behavior and not the work itself. I was part of a small team and within a few short months I was the third person to leave. That, in itself, should be a cause for concern.
At one point when I reached out for help, I was told it was my fault. This had the same effect as if someone being raped was told it was their fault because of the way they dressed or because they acted in a provocative manner. It was a dreadful experience knowing this type of behavior was not going to be addressed and that it was going to be reinforced.
Not all teams or leadership was like this. There are some outstanding leaders, high performance teams, and associates at CoBank that are beyond reproach and exhibited the highest level of professionalism. However, if you are considering employment at CoBank you should know and understand that this type of toxic environment and behavior at the leadership level exists with impunity.
Good luck.