Masterclass in dysfunctionThe good things• Excellent training ground for developing your sarcasm and dark sense of humour — you’ll need it.
• Unlimited opportunities to practise resilience while watching questionable decisions unfold in real-time.
• Strong team bonding — because nothing unites people like collective confusion and shared despair.
• Job security is guaranteed — it's practically impossible to be fired, no matter how much you probably deserve it.
The challengesLeadership often feels like the living embodiment of the “this is fine” meme: the room’s on fire, but everyone acts like it’s fine.
Those at the top often lack industry experience, which shows in their decision-making — or lack of it. Common-sense improvements are rare, replaced by outdated processes that no one uses anymore. Short-term optics take precedence over long-term success, and meetings drag on for hours, debating whether the cup should be a mug, all while the room burns.
Lack of direction and misalignment between departments means more time is spent navigating political games than doing actual work. Leaders focus on their own agendas, creating confusion and division.
The result is low morale and a bleak culture. Talented people leave for better opportunities, and sarcasm becomes the unofficial coping mechanism.