5000 CVS employees, most of whom performed diligently for years, and even decades, have lost their jobs due to the inability of management to effectively lead the company. Why do these employees have to pay for the mistakes of senior leadership? Why haven't any members of senior leadership fallen on the sword and resigned because their actions (actually inaction) have taken the livelihood of 5000 people?
While 5000 employees have lost their livelihoods, Karen Ly--h has continued to envelop herself with lackeys. She has created many new C-suite positions and has begun the practice of creating "Chief of Staff" positions to serve as gatekeepers. Naturally, her minions have started imitating her - creating "Chief of Staff" positions for themselves. People in these positions serve as gatekeepers, insulating senior (and not-so-senior) executives from CVS's customers, employees, and even other groups. Not only do they prevent the executives from recognizing the real state of the business, "Chiefs of Staff" contribute to the development of silos, preventing interactions between departments, in the company.
Besides having these unnecessary Chiefs of Staff positions, Karen travels in chauffeur-driven black vehicles (often three), holding herself and her entourage. Why does Karen Ly--h need to travel with an entourage? Why is she insulating herself from the realities of the business?
Karen Ly--h seems more interested in her image and trappings of power, than she is in actually leading CVS. Wall Street is correct that CVS is “unable to execute” its business initiatives (even the administration of the layoffs is a hot mess)! Yet Karen never fails to try to get her picture in business magazines or listed on one of the “100 Most Powerful Women” lists. I’m surprised one of her minions doesn’t always carry a full-length mirror whenever in Karen's presence so she could constantly gaze upon herself.
Why is CVS cutting the jobs of productive people, while creating unnecessary “Chief of Staff” and additional C-Suite jobs to salve Karen’s ego and lust for power and attention? Is it because she has no idea what she’s doing and needs to surround herself with yes-men to tell her how important she is?
Larry Merlo may have been a son of a bi--h, but at least he was genuine. He drove himself to work and didn’t need to surround himself with an entourage or “Chiefs of Staff.” Contrast that with Karen, who seems to be interested in her own image and trappings of power but has no concern with productive CVS employees or business execution.