Pros
Great colleagues: Despite the chaos at the leadership level, there are still some talented and hardworking people who make the daily work bearable. Strong legacy of success: The company had years of momentum behind it which helped to keep things afloat for a while. Opportunities to learn (if you can survive the instability): If you’re someone who thrives in unpredictable environments, you’ll have opportunities to adapt quickly, even though the direction is always changing.
Cons
Leadership is out of touch: The leadership team is out of their depth, especially when it comes to adapting to a changing business environment. They failed to truly acknowledged the shifting realities of the market conveyed a sense of surprise and dismay rather than making tough decisions and adjusting their strategy. Short-term focus, no long-term strategy: There is a noticeable lack of planning for the future. Decisions and actions (layoffs) seemed to be focused on trying to survive instead of building for the future. The company’s ability to manage its operations is bogged down by a constant need to manage up to the holding company rather than focus on what the agency needed. Digital failure: The company invested heavily in building a digital practice but the effort was poorly executed and ultimately abandoned. Leadership said digital was the future of the business, but the people leading that charge are no longer with the company, showing that the bet was a failure. Abysmal pipeline: Leadership was constantly surprised by the changing market after 2020 and kept expecting business to grow as it had in the past, without adjusting to the changing economic landscape. They've failed to build a proactive mechanism to drive growth and have instead continued to be reactive, hoping the phone will start ringing again like it did in the old days.