Clients have become disengaged for a number of reasons. Several times a year (and often month-to-month) significant turnover causes client teams to change. Due to management malpractice we can't keep top talent. Colleagues used to stay for years, if not decades, and were passionate about our science and mission. That passion has all but evaporated under current family leadership. Most of our best and most experienced colleagues have exited. Clients are annoyed and are rightfully concerned about our constant turnover. Sadly with the departure of every top-talent colleague our culture walks out the door with them. Inept Gallup leadership arrogantly says good riddance to these key employees. People are so disengaged they’re even leaving without another job secured. When people announce their departure remaining team members typically respond with, “I wish I could find something else.”
Gallup has an incredibly toxic definition of loyalty. People are treated as possessions rather than as assets to the organization. The toxic definition of loyalty mixed with the hubris of leadership has even put us at crossroads with the Department of Justice. The massive lawsuit filed against Gallup by the DOJ not only calls into question the ethics of our top leaders, but confirms the organization looks at loyalty in a very jaded way. I can’t see a way that we’ll ever succeed with government agencies again after the very questionable ethical practices that have come to the surface throughout our government division (and supported by Gallup legal/leadership).
Above all else Gallup has become a culture where being vocal, even in the most innocuous ways, essentially causes career suicide. It is almost impossible to share concerns, provide ideas for improvement, or point out better alternatives without being labeled as “old school” or “negative.” Most that have survived at Gallup have realized nothing good comes from openly sharing.
While it would be extreme to say Gallup has the world’s worst managers, it is fair to say we don’t have the world’s best managers. We write the books about engaging management practices. We charge clients millions of dollars to follow our path. Yet throughout many area of the company managers are either poor or essentially ineffective as coaches, developers, and mentors. Thankfully we have a few great mid-level managers, but most are average at best and inept in many cases. Also, the managers that survive know they cannot speak up or in any way challenge family leadership. Many of the worst are especially talented in sucking up to family leadership.
Gallup charges clients very high prices, but doesn’t deliver from an outcomes perspective and in terms of client service. We keep clients for about three years. They realize they’ve spent a bundle, are not cared for, and have received little ROI.
