Why is it that at Nike, career progress seems to depend more on playing office politics than actual work? I've noticed that merit has very little influence, while understanding how to navigate relationships and kiss the right butts is critical for anyone looking to move up. How can that be considered a good thing?
20 replies (most recent on top)
It’s always been that way. I wish I’d figured that out sooner
@at resilience/reliability is exactly this. Who you know and IYKYK. #integrity
Me three.
@15w I feel u - facing similar as well
I rose to the occasion after the last round of layoff he-l in 2024.
I had the motivation and energy to take on two jobs in one, at the behest of my manager. Boy was that a mistake.
It was a challenge, naturally, but I felt certain I was making someone happy upstairs by covering the multiple areas of impact, and still delivering some results. Maybe not at the pace they wanted, but you can’t have everything perfect. Sadly, I was derided and scolded for being spread too thin. My manager and skip level both held me to an unrealistic standard with no coaching or accountability for creating a lose-lose environment for me. What never went said, was that once I agreed to take on more, they put all the responsibility on me. Obviously, in the rear view mirror, they wanted to manage me out. It was morally bankrupt and snakey af to do that to me. And I let it happen by wanting to prove myself.
Never ever ever ever will I do that again. Silver lining is that Nike showed me what it feels like to work in a toxic vacuum. This is what the environment is like in several areas of the company. And leadership just smiles along and moves on to the next meeting, forgetting all of the human beings they’ve fu---d over like nothing happened.
Because that’s the culture and tone set from the top. The very top.
Like it or not, there is an element of elitism that is still in this place from PK. Think about it. On more than one occasion he said… ‘hmmm, look at this great pool of talent that built me a great empire… f*** ‘em; I need a suit to run it’
If you don’t politic, kiss a** , and have an mba, you know your ceiling at Nike has likely already been found.
Results really don’t matter, here. Thats why you see so much of it. The people you see politicking either can’t deliver, or; they can… but know it just isn’t fruitful here.
If you want to do great work and be recognized for it. Please go elsewhere.
Careful what you wish for @116. Despite your brother in law’s best efforts I still have a job at Nike. That means I’m the guy You desperately call at 2am to fix Your mistakes.
“Compete” lmao. I “work” with you. Lmfao. We both know you’re actually talking about in-group racial relationships and not real world job performance and You STILL can’t win. Even with a deck stacked 3 management layers high.
Once the Indians got in charge sh-t went down hill bringing their caste system into the work place with their fake degrees and certs. Pakistan and India just need to start fighting already and clear out that over populated sh-t hole.
@qb
what frickin county are we in
this has turned into a complete dumpster fire
@mt is sadly correct.
On the flip side. I wouldn’t be comfortable being publicly Muslim at Nike anymore. The four individuals I once knew were explicitly targeted by Indian leadership two levels up and removed.
When I worked there, I did as little as possible and still got paid!
Just be Indian, and you will get all the promotions!
Find a new job when you can. I left 6 months ago and could not be happier. It’s crazy to look back and see how rotten nike was. Scary I was putting up with that in retrospect.
I’m not sure when/why this started but this is how it’s been at Nike for the past 15+ years.
Relationships/politics also effects who makes it through RIFs, s-xual/other misappropriate allegations, gets the best projects/assignments, etc. The sooner you realize this the better. Either learn to “play the game” or get what you want from Nike and leave.
Nike is rotten from the core. Nothing is going to change this - even if EH wanted to, I’m not sure he could change this at this point because it permeates the entire org. from senior leadership on down to managers.
@b8
deficit spending of fiat money
allows certain folks to become shareholders when they should not be
Yeah I have been trying to leave this place but the market is bad. I am sick and tired of hearing this expression you don’t get promoted because of politics. Nowhere in the past I have worked before where I have seen this kind of corruption. This is America. How can a corporation operate from this much injustice, chaos and corruption?? Please clean up all this nepotism, favoritism, s-xism, and all the ism… and make it a fair place. Enough with corruption and politics.
Nike hired the caste system. If you’re not on top of politics in your space you will get stabbed in the back and replaced by someone’s cousin. You can buy an IT degree for like $300 in some countries. No classes needed.
Perfect description of the resilience/reliability org….
@OP just get out from this place as simple as that. Nike dont deserve you if you are a top performer :-)
take nike out and put 'murrica as this is what this accursed country has turned into.
sycophancy rules supreme in crumbling empires