Earlier this year, I made the tough decision to leave Thrive Communities, and I want to share why it was ultimately the best choice for my career. While the company offers decent benefits and the work can be rewarding, the leadership, particularly under the COO made it untenable for me to stay.
Her leadership style ranged from micromanaging to outright gaslighting. Even though there were several layers between us, I felt a constant lack of autonomy to make thoughtful business decisions due to the roadblocks she created. She demonstrated an inability to listen to her team or accept constructive feedback, often dismissing concerns outright. Clients would lose trust in our regional team as we waited on her approval for simple things like $100 reimbursements. There was minimal support for professional development, and she fostered a culture where only her voice mattered. Her poor communication skills and lack of empathy resulted in an environment of fear and distrust. The operations team saw over half of its staff terminated without warning, with a narrative being spun that they were the problem whenever concerns were raised.
Talented employees were overlooked, ideas dismissed, and it became clear that no one’s opinion mattered unless it aligned with hers. Favoritism was rampant, especially when she allowed a tenured team member to leave rather than offer a well-deserved senior role to retain them. On that associate’s last day, a senior promotion for a peer who had been employed for less than 90 days was announced. It’s disheartening to work in such an atmosphere where employees are more focused on staying on her good side rather than contributing meaningfully.
Ultimately, I left because I knew I couldn’t grow under her leadership. I’ve already found new opportunities that value my skills and input. If Thrive Communities wants to retain quality employees, they need to seriously reconsider their leadership and make changes at the top. It’s no surprise that the current industry rumor is they have now lost three senior vps and a C-Suite officer. Who’s next?
