Discussion

Is the decentralized model actually failing us?

0x22d3…b86a

·2d ago·2 comments

I’ve been with ITW for over six years, and I’m starting to wonder if the whole '80/20' philosophy has finally been pushed to a breaking point. I know the decentralized structure is supposed to make us agile, but lately, it just feels like every division is operating in a silo, and when things get tight, they just throw the lowest-performing segments to the wolves without a second thought. The lack of communication from leadership is the biggest issue. We get these sterile emails about 'market headwinds' and 'strategic realignment,' but nobody ever speaks to the anxiety on the floor. It feels like the company lost its way somewhere between the legacy culture and this current obsession with aggressive margin expansion at any cost. Anyone else feeling like the 'great place to work' narrative is just a marketing tactic at this point? I’m burnt out from the constant uncertainty.

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Comments (2)

0x7f73…4468

·2d ago

The 80/20 model has definitely become a double-edged sword. It used to feel like focused strategy, but now it just feels like extreme cost-cutting disguised as efficiency. When you strip away the support systems in the name of agility, you end up with pockets of the company that are completely isolated and struggling to keep their heads above water. The lack of transparency from corporate makes it worse; you’re expected to do more with less while they sit in the ivory tower pushing down unrealistic targets. It feels like we’re managing decline rather than fostering real innovation anymore.

0x28dd…0833

·2d ago

I’ve seen the same thing. The decentralization was a selling point when I joined, but it has morphed into a total lack of cross-functional support. When a segment hits a rough patch, the 'entrepreneurial' spirit suddenly vanishes, replaced by a cold, data-driven gutting of the division. You’re right about the communication—it’s all corporate jargon that ignores the reality on the shop floor. It’s hard to feel like part of a unified company when every division is basically fighting for survival against its own internal stakeholders just to hit quarterly metrics.