Pros
If you're intelligent you will stand out and people will know who you are. In the part of the company where I work, I am given free reign to work on what I want when I want as long as I complete the tasks that are expected of me on an ongoing basis.
Cons
Each of the pros come with a downside. The reason smart people stand out is largely the result of the fact that Intermountain Healthcare compensates DRASTICALLY below market rates. The overly intelligent/ ambitious or otherwise upwardly mobile soon figure this out and leave for better situations. This means that many - and it would be unfair not point out that this does not mean all - of those who are left struggle to think beyond the basic day to day items which any person could grasp. Many people lack the vision required to really disect their business and understand how to help it reach its potential as opposed to simply gliding along. I've met very few people who actually inspired me to work hard and perhaps fewer who work as hard as I expected would be required of me in college. The corporate culture rewards tenure by failing to hold those making misguided decisions accountable while also pressuring managers not to give high performers actual accolades at annual review time. This has created a situation where many middle managers realize they lack the capabilities to get the same job they have elsewhere so they stick around. Therefore, even if you are intelligent, you have no space available for upward movement. This has been compounded recently by a trend of combining/downgrading management positions so that even when someone leaves, no one is able to progress since the old persons position is simply combined with another existing position.
