I am a current Salaried Retail Leader with many years of blind devotion to what I now believe was a hoax! I too have watched as the organization praised unrealistic programs, initiatives, and ideas that couldn't possibly have made my job any more difficult!
These programs (BLUEPRINT!!!) were designed for an environment without deviation from the task. The company spent millions implementing and failing to provide enough technology to ACTUALLY stabilize the program. I spent more time conducting these 'walks' than it would have taken to just ask someone directly. What really upsets me is that nobody in any position of leadership would allow for negative feedback about the program, NOBODY!
Those that did were "encouraged" to "buy-in" to the program!! Talk about nepotism, when just about everyone in a retail store expressed discontent yet the company continued wasting money to roll this out.
Now.. I do not blame those who implemented the program... when it was the ELT's fault it wasn't squashed sooner!
So.. after my many years of declining job opportunities, often times upwards of two emails a week, from outside Recruiters.. I find myself now looking forward to getting them! I have ABSOLUTELY no ambition to advance with this unpredictable mish-mosh we call a "family" company!
What's worse, 5 years from now (MARK MY WORD!) we will have not learned from this crap and have hired 600 new people before realizing we "need to make cuts for our long term success". Seriously folks, for those who've been around long enough, you should all recall how we fail to learn from these mistakes and suffer the same dreadful scenario yet again! (Specialists, Regional Directors, LTR Teams, Specialists AGAIN, and so on!)
As someone who has ALWAYS prided themselves as being trustworthy to my teams, and now I can't get the same from my CEO, I honestly can't wait to get the F out of this place and never look back!