Great mission, increasingly poor leadership culture
Pros
RTI has a strong mission and did important work in education research. For most of my years, I worked with smart, dedicated colleagues and had opportunities to lead data delivery tasks. The organization supports rigorous methodology, values data quality, and historically invested in professional development. Earlier in my career, I felt respected and proud of the work we were doing.
Cons
Unfortunately, the culture shifted noticeably in my later years. The environment became increasingly driven by internal politics rather than merit. Gossip was common and, more concerning, often tolerated or indirectly reinforced by senior management. Senior leaders in education appeared highly visible on LinkedIn during core work hours, publicly congratulating one another, while internal morale, workload pressures, and staff concerns went largely unaddressed. During multiple layoff periods, leadership communication around the company’s financial status lacked transparency. Messaging was often overly reassuring and, in retrospect, inaccurate, seemingly intended to preserve appearances rather than provide employees with clear, honest information. Cronyism and nepotism also became difficult to ignore. Senior leadership openly hired friends and relatives, and it became clear—both implicitly and explicitly—that these individuals were prioritized for opportunities and advancement. This eroded trust, reduced transparency in decision-making, and made it difficult for long-tenured, high-performing employees to feel valued or fairly considered. Overall, leadership communication became less candid, and performance and advancement felt increasingly disconnected from actual contributions.
