Sadly, the culture at the corporate headquarters has made a 180-degree turn with the new regime. Once a collaborative, collegial and positive ethos permeated the company's leadership and senior management. Contributors and middle managers earned their "seat at the table" and had a lot to contribute to the company's success. The result? Xcel Energy came roaring back from near bankruptcy and earned its place in the nation's elite, environmentally conscious utilities ("No. 1 wind power provider," don't you know). The company's leadership at that time provided solid direction, to be sure, but they confidently empowered employees to propel the ship to its goals.
Today, most senior managers spend the majority of their time trying to politically out maneuver one another to capture as much corporate real estate as they can. Two re-orgs in two years. Really? Anyone who is too closely connected to some elements of the old regime have been or are being effectively shelved or "managed out," regardless of skills or capabilities. The new "up and comers" who are taking the place of those kicked to the curb are curiously connected to, or should we say related somehow to the king. Talk about things that make you go "Hmmmmm."
Most disappointing is the plight of the middle management and contributor. Once they had a seat at the table, offering fresh ideas and strategies. Today, they have been kicked back into their workstations and turned into not much more than order-takers. Unfortunately, because the compensation packages are good relative to comparable positions, these poor folks will likely continue to grind out their existence being told how stupid they are by senior managers who have to hire outside consultants to tell them stuff that the company's own workforce already knows.
