There is a lot of noise but no substance at Dream. They have these things called Maxims, which is supposed to represent the culture, and everyone can recite like “Dream is Family” but when asked what do they mean no one is able to provide the same answer or any answer at all. The best way to describe Dream is that it has the feel of a startup even though it has been around for so many years. It is amazing that even with so much time that the org has been unable to mature. Even now at this current stage, Dream struggles to proactively establish policies and procedures. The result of these struggles is disarray. Leadership lacks critical thinkers at the top and tends to bumble their way around situations. There is a lack of vision and fresh ideas are resisted because the first reaction is to always dig in and stick to what is familiar because it is safe. There is also a disconnect between leadership and the lower rungs of the org. With their heads constantly in the clouds they do not notice the struggles below. This will not change anytime soon because they tend to hire like for like in leadership positions. It is unfortunate that the organization is so dysfunctional because it is a school so it sits in a position that impacts the community and the children in it. Turn over is very high especially among teachers due to Dream being unable to adequately support them. The sad part is, it is the children who ultimately bear the brunt of this dysfunction. If you come work here, you would want to stay for the mission, maybe even tough it out for a few years, but at the same time you will feel empty inside as the org drains away your passion.
