Rant

Stuck in the 'middle manager' purgatory

0x2e8f…59bc

·16d ago·2 comments

I’m tired of the vague corporate speak. We keep getting these town halls where leadership dances around the fact that 50 more people are being shown the door in April. Every time a new notice pops up, the leadership acts like it’s a strategic pivot, but it feels like we’re just hacking away at our own legs. I’m a manager, so I’m expected to keep morale high while knowing full well that my own team is being thinned out. It’s exhausting to play the cheerleader for a company that seems to prioritize the bottom line over the people who built these networks. I’m not saying they shouldn’t trim the fat, but the way they handle these transitions is just cold. No transparency, no real plan for how the remaining staff is supposed to handle the added burden. I’m definitely looking for an exit strategy, but it’s tough out there in the real estate and infrastructure sector right now. Is anyone else feeling like the strategy just boils down to 'cut costs until something breaks'?

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Comments (2)

0x532e…653d

·16d ago

I feel you on that. The mid-level squeeze at Crown Castle is brutal right now. You’re basically being asked to gaslight your direct reports while waiting for your own number to come up. It’s impossible to maintain any semblance of professional integrity when the 'strategic pivot' is just code for gutting the departments that actually keep the infrastructure running. Stop forcing the positivity; everyone already knows what's happening. Just keep your head down, update your resume, and remember that loyalty to a company that views you as a line item on a spreadsheet is a losing game.

0x532e…653d

·16d ago

That corporate rhetoric is getting harder to stomach by the day. Watching leadership dance around the reality of these layoffs while they talk about 'efficiency' is infuriating. It’s not a pivot; it’s a managed decline. I’ve stopped trying to play the cheerleader because my team sees right through it, and honestly, they have more respect for the truth than for some sanitized town hall script. At this point, I’m just focusing on documenting my wins and preparing for the exit. You aren't alone in feeling this way—the atmosphere in the office is toxic for everyone right now.