The recent VIA results have been a complete debacle, and it’s become glaringly obvious why Ernest is such a disastrous leader. As someone in Supply Chain, I’ve witnessed firsthand how some of our teams have made significant strides while others have stagnated. What's particularly unsettling is the stark contrast between the feedback Ernest has given in the past and the reality of his own performance.
Last year, Ernest was quick to chastise leaders whose teams had received poor scores. He laid the blame squarely on them for their deficiencies, creating an atmosphere where accountability was a one-way street. But this year, the tables have turned. While several teams under other leaders saw their scores improve, Ernest’s own scores took a nosedive. Instead of taking a moment for self-reflection, Ernest has doubled down on his failures by shifting the blame to his team. He’s outright refused to acknowledge his role in the poor results, instead accusing us of being the reason for his diminished scores.
Adding insult to injury, Ernest has implemented a series of new rules and policies that apply exclusively to Supply Chain personnel. Despite HP’s robust policies, Ernest has decided to establish his own set of regulations that only create additional red tape for us. His new travel policy, which is exclusively for Supply Chain, is particularly absurd. How many C-Suite executives personally approve travel requests for their employees? Clearly, Ernest doesn’t trust his own team to make sound decisions. His micromanagement and lack of faith in his staff have reached new heights, making you question if he has too much time on his hands running a global supply chain organization.
Moreover, Ernest’s hiring practices speak volumes about his leadership shortcomings. He has consistently opted to hire from outside rather than promoting from within, and it’s evident that he has a bias. The majority of his new hires are DEI candidates, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the next Chief Sustainability Officer is also a DEI person. It’s becoming increasingly clear that Ernest’s hiring decisions are driven more by an agenda than by merit.
This behavior demonstrates that Ernest is not only failing as a leader but is also undermining the integrity and effectiveness of our Supply Chain team. His lack of trust, excessive rule-making, and biased hiring practices make him a toxic and ineffective leader who is out of touch with the needs of his team. This is who Ernest is, and it’s a severe detriment to our organization.