Pros
the directors, managers, and frontline leaders who are constantly solving problems, filling gaps, and holding things together with limited support. That layer works incredibly hard and deserves far more recognition than it gets.
Cons
Operations does not feel like a real priority anymore. More and more, it seems like work is being shifted to China while the teams here are left to deal with shrinking resources, constant pressure, and the expectation to somehow keep delivering at the same level. There is very little sense that this function is being protected or invested in for the long term. What makes it worse is how disconnected senior leadership feels from the reality of the operation. The president and much of the leadership team could not tell you anything meaningful about Operations if you asked. They do not seem to understand how the work gets done, what the actual challenges are, or what people on the ground need to succeed. Yet they continue making decisions that directly affect the function, while the people closest to the work are left cleaning up the fallout. Because Operations does not seem to have real VP-level advocacy, the burden falls on the next layer down. Those leaders are worked like dogs. Some more than others but its appalling. One of the few bright spots is the Senior Director, who actually listens, helps, and seems to understand what people are dealing with. Unfortunately, even that only goes so far when someone at that level is carrying so much. Overall, it feels like leadership is detached, Operations is not truly valued, and the people keeping the place running are being pushed past their limits.
