60 hour weeks are good weeks. 80-100 hour weeks are not uncommon. For all the work the firm does helping clients (their leaders and employees) "show up at their best," it's ironic how unsuccessful they've been at doing this for their own people. The nature of the work (the pace, the hours, the questionable processes) leaves little time and room for coaching, mentorship, team-building, culture-building, etc. From the beginning, employees are thrown into the deep end and it's not only expected that they will likely struggle and suffer for 6-12 months before they figure out "the SYP Way," it's almost seen as a badge of honor. It's sort of like the marines, and those that don't quite fit the mold or don't drink the Kool-Aid don't last very long. Burnout is prevalent and turnover is relatively high. With the company growing so fast, it's the culture, its people, and their happiness that matter most for long-term sustainability—not to mention quality of work.
Finally, there is a strong whiff of arrogance that comes from senior leadership (managing directors, principles, and founders). There's a great sense of pride that comes from "the pedigree" of many people who work there. It's one thing to recruit people with impressive capabilities and track records, but it's another thing to prize someone's schooling or upbringing. This is sometimes overt and somewhat systemic. What makes it intolerable, however, is that while you are surrounded by a few truly brilliant people, many of the leaders are pseudo-intellects whose grasp of the subject matter is shallow, and whose care for their teams is superficial at best.
