Strong talent but challenging culture and leadership dynamics - Anonymous employee Penrod Employee Review

The culture and leadership style were a struggle for me personally. Within my team, I often felt my manager led through belittling rather than building people up, which made it difficult to feel comfortable or confident day-to-day. There’s also a noticeable in-crowd dynamic. If you didn’t come up through the organization early on, breaking into that inner circle can be tough. If a sense of belonging matters to you, that’s worth weighing seriously before accepting an offer. Over time, I also recognized the role itself wasn’t the right fit for me, so leaving ultimately was a blessing. That said, I want to be fair: thrive in this kind of environment, and my experience isn’t universal. If you’re interviewing here, I’d strongly encourage you to ask detailed questions about leadership style, team dynamics, and how success is defined, and to be honest with yourself about whether the answers align with how you work best