Dedicated People Deserve a Culture That Matches the Mission
Pros
The frontline teams and many of the behind-the-scenes employees are exceptional. The company has people who genuinely care, work incredibly hard, and continue to deliver despite challenges outside of their control. Many of the organization’s greatest contributors are not always the most visible, but they are the only reason customers continue to have positive experiences. I will always respect the commitment, resilience, and integrity of the employees I worked with.
Cons
The most challenging part of my experience was not the work or the employees—it was the leadership culture. In my opinion, the environment became unhealthy, with decision-making that often felt inconsistent and reactive. I personally struggled with what I perceived as a gap between stated values and day-to-day leadership behaviors. I also felt that personal relationships and long-standing connections appeared to influence certain decisions in ways that created questions about fairness, objectivity, and accountability. In my experience, HR did not consistently operate as the strategic, trusted, and objective resource employees need, which contributed to concerns around trust, transparency, consistency, and accountability. Over time, I saw strong leaders and talented people choose to leave, which reinforced my belief that the environment was no longer aligned with the principles I value in an organization. In my experience, there was also a growing tension between enrollment growth and the organization’s educational mission. At times, it felt that the pressure to increase enrollment and expand the organization outweighed the ability of teachers and school leaders to focus on delivering the highest-quality educational experience for students. Sustainable growth requires ensuring those closest to students have the resources, support, and capacity needed to fulfill the mission.